


Original FDW (Not complete)

by TheSPNWolf



Category: Aliens vs Predators Series - Various Authors, Predator Original Series (1987-1990)
Genre: Other, incomplete work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 40,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24446425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSPNWolf/pseuds/TheSPNWolf
Summary: Incomplete but rework is being released
Comments: 47
Kudos: 71





	1. Badblood Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I suddenly got this idea and just started writing.  
> I decided to write in 1st person POV as I think it makes more sense for this story (for now), and will often shift between chapters.

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

My blade slashed through the last ooman like it was air, the body dropped to the ground, lifeless. I was a bit disappointed; I had hoped these oomans would have been more of a challenge, but figures… they were prey, yes, but they definitely weren't like those more skillful oomans I’d heard about.

No matter… their deaths served a purpose, I could make trophies out of them too, even if Elder didn’t completely approve. I would just have to get them back to the ship. That was broken…

The ship was close, one of many reasons I was hunting in a situation like this.

A sound came from behind me, a twig snapping. _Had I been wrong?_ Surely there had been 5 oomans, I had been watching them for a few days since they came too close to the area. The 5th was laying at my feet now. Animals should have been scared away by the sounds. Maybe there were other oomans nearby that had heard this, and came looking?

 _Paya… if my clan knew…_ No matter, a fatal mistake on the oomans part.

Turning around to face my new opponent, only to freeze when my visor focused on this surprise.

It was a ooman, no doubt, but this one… they were too small, way too young to be considered prey, to fend for themself.

_Pauk! I had gotten too careless! One of the oomans must have had their young with them! How hadn’t I seen them?! This could not happen! I had just broken our code!_

Unless… nobody had to know about this. I had seen large pelt beasts in the area, creatures that showed no mercy during a kill. None would question if this were an attack of theirs if the young fell too.

 _H’ko! What was I thinking?!_ There would be no pleasure, no honour in murdering a young! Even to spare them the terrible fate lurking here. This one had no means to defend themself. I would be no better than a Badblood if I did this, a simple Mar'cte… But they would die one way or another if them left here… Think! Think! Some Clans were rumoured to have ooman members.

_Yes, maybe I could-_

The young suddenly turned and ran faster than I believed such a small creature could into the trees behind. _Pauk!_ I had been standing around and thinking too long. Sloppy! They were getting away! I was a complete S'yuit-de. Should have acted faster! I sat off into a sprint after the ooman, praying to Paya I could make this right somehow and then go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit short, I know. But future chapters will be longer
> 
> Translation:  
> Nrak'ytara = Guardian  
> Ooman = Human - a slang  
> Paya = God/Goddes  
> Mar'cte = Killer  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> S'yuit-de = Idiot, Pathetic  
> H'ko = No


	2. First Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An introduction of Nita and the events that lead up to chapter 1

Nita´s POV

* * *

Dad parked the car beside the house, honking twice to let the others know we'd arrived. “Alright girls, we're here”, dad said. Excited, I got out of the car quickly, _I was finally here to help this time!_

“There’s my favorite niece!”, Uncle Tate called, walking out of the large family cabin, arms raised in greeting. I ran to him, “Tate!”, I giggled as he picked me up and spun around a few times. “I’m your only niece!”. “All the more reason you’re my favorite!”, he sat me down and patted my hair. I shook him off, “stoooop, you know I don’t like that”, I pouted. He laughed, “but it’s so fluffy! It suits you with short hair, Nita”. I beamed at him, “I know!”.

“We agreed it was time, honey. It’ll be fine, she’s old enough to be a part of this. Besides it’s family quality time or you know, _The Family Business_ ”, dads voice was low, but I could hear him. “I know, but she’s still young, there's still 4 months 'till she's 12”, mom tried to whisper. “Listen, my dad took us out here, when we were her age, everything went perfect, she’ll be okay too”. _They were talking about me_. “But you didn’t hold a rifle until you were like 14”, mom argued. “Because my old man was sour. Come on, the girl’s a scout and I’ve been shooting with her at the range for about a year. She really wants this”. Dad proceeded to unload our bags from the trunk. "But I worry about her, she still gets-"

“Don’t mind them, they just want what's best for you…”, Tate put a hand on my shoulder. Damn, he caught me listening. “I know”, I murmured. Mom was just concerned for me. Dad on the other hand, just wanted me to be safe while trying what I want. Tate smiled, “why don’t you go inside to say hi to Auntie? I’ll help your dad with the bags”, he winked.

“Right…”, I quietly responded. He frowned. “What’s wrong? Are you still shy?”, he smirked. “Want me to come with you?”. “No!”, I stubbed the ground with my foot. “I'm not shy, I just… don’t know Elias, Carmen and Seth… that well”. “I believe in you”, he teased, “now go on in, Auntie missed you too”. “Okay…”, I said, walking past him into the house. “Glad you could join us, brother!”, I heard Tate call to dad. “Sorry about the delay”, dad answered. “Car trouble, we had to stay at a motel until the car got fixed, and then- “

I couldn’t hear the rest as I got pulled into a surprise embrace. “Nita! There you are!”, Aunt April exclaimed. “Auntie April…”, _I can't breathe_. “You’re hugging me too tight…!”, I gasped. She had always been over-affectionate, especially since-

“Oh!”, she pulled away, apologizing. “Sorry, sorry”. Then put a hand on my back to push me into the living room. “Carmen, Seth, Elias, Nita is here!”, she proclaimed. My eyes widened. Okay maybe this wasn't a good idea… It felt like all eyes were on me. Well they were but… “Yeah, we can see that”, Elias stood up from his seat with a gentle smile, to greet us, or rather me.

“Hey there, Nita. Remember me?”, he asked with a small smile. I gave a short nod. It felt like there was a spotlight on me. “Nita, manners”, April urged me, doing her part in trying to raise me right, as she had agreed with mom and dad once.

 _Right I can do this, no problem, I know these guys and they know me, they are family, no reason to freak out._ “Uhm… hi”, I squeaked, my face turned red. “It's good to see you again, Nita”, Carmen and Seth said. “Umm y-you too”, I responded, voice tight. _Why was I like this? They were just family I hadn’t seen for like a few years._ My breath began to become heavier.

Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and stirred me towards a room. “It’s so good to see you again, Carmen, Seth, Elias”, mom interrupted, I almost missed the concern, the pity in the other’s faces. “Let’s catch up later, right now, Nita and I need to unpack!”, she closed the door behind us.

“Honey?”, she said softly. I turned around and buried my head in her shirt, lip trembling. “I’m sorry…”, I murmured. Mom kneeled, so she could hug me completely. “We talked about this Nita…”. I nodded. “What do you do in a situation like this?”, she urged me gently.

I sniffed. “I- I get out of the situation that bothers me, make up an excuse if I have to. Find somewhere I can calm down and breathe again”, I recited. Mom hummed, “and?”.

“And I don’t apologize to anyone for being like this…”. She gently pulled away. “Nita… you shouldn’t be sorry for this happening, it's completely normal given what happened. Not everyone knows the feeling, experiences this or even understands. _But_ it’s not your fault”, she laid her hand on my cheek. "And it's fine. You are just the way you should be, and don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Dad and I will always be here for you, no matter where you are”.

I smiled weakly. “Thanks mom, I know… I just thought I could get over it”. She hugged me again. “It's going to take time, sweetie. It's not something you can rip off like a bandage, that could even make it worse”. She was right, she always was. “Take your time, and know I’ll always be here for you, okay? I won't go anywhere”, she said. I nodded. “Good, now unpack your bag. I’ll go say hi to the others and then I’ll come back again. Okay?”. I nodded with a hum. Mom kissed the top of my head and left the room.

I put the last plate in the cabin after helping with the dishes when dinner was finished. “Good work, Champ!”, Seth held op a hand for a high-five. I gave him one. “Now shoo-shoo, into the living room with you 2, I will finish up here”. I giggled, following mom. “Alright, alright”.

I sat down on the couch between mom and dad. After Seth joined us, we played old boardgames for a few hours.

I yawned. “Okay, it’s late, time for bed sweetie”, mom began. “You need your rest, and it will be a long day tomorrow”. I pouted, getting up from the couch, looking to dad. Mom sent him _The Look_. “No arguing”, dad ushered, hands raised in mock surrender, mouthing _no-can-do-kid_ when mom turned back to me. “Listen to her, niece”, Tate agreed. “She's scary if you don’t listen”. I smirked at him. “Oh, you haven’t seen _scary_ yet, Tate”, mom challenged, he gulped. “Off to bed with you, Nita”, mom said more gently to me, I nodded. “Goodnight everyone”, I called out to everyone. I had gotten more comfortable as the afternoon came and went. “G’night Nita”, dad responded before the others. “Now, let the time for Adult Strategizing begin!”, I heard Tate proclaim, after closing my door.

After breakfast the next day, I helped pack the bags we needed. We made sure we had ammo, the hunting rifles, hunting knives, extra clothing, lunch, and snacks for the entire day for everybody. “Listen up”, Tate's voices sounded, it was shaking slightly. “I just got a call from Adriel. He’s in the hospital”. Dad looked shocked over at him. “What happened? Is he okay?”, worry in his voice. _Was it bad?_ “He said he had been in a car accident. He's lucky, only a broken leg and cracked ribs…”, Tate replied. “Oh, thank God”, Carmen added. “But listen, I'm really sorry. We have to leave to…”, Tate began. “It's okay, we understand. Go be with your son, it's more important than this”, mom said, placing her hands on my shoulders, as to comfort. “Thanks, maybe we can get a rain check another time”, April smiled, it didn’t reach her eyes. _It really was lucky..._

About half an hour later we headed out, after waving goodbye to Tate and April. About halfway towards the clearing, I realized something bad. “ _Oh no…_ ”, I uttered. Mom turned around like she had been spooked, “what’s wrong, Nita?”. “I forgot to use the bathroom and bring my water bottle”, I admitted.

“Dad? Can I borrow your key? I really need to go back to the house”. Everyone looked back at me. “No worries, I'll go with you”, mom said. “No need!”, I responded fast. “I'll be quick, I promise! You don’t have to come with me”, I smiled innocently. Dad signed; he knew what I was asking of him. Then he called, “alright! Where’s the hunting tower?”. He was trying to test me, so mom would be okay with letting me walk alone.

“When I walk out of the cabin, I follow the yellow path, the one pointing left to the mountain”, I replied with confidence. “I turn left at the 4th track out to the clearing, by the mountain. If I get to the lake, I retrace my steps, because then I’ve walked too far!”. Dad hummed approvingly. “And…?”, he encouraged.

_Oh yeah right!_

“If I see something dangerous, I either hide, or run for either you or the house to call for help, depending on where I am, and what it is!”. He grinned, “that’s my girl”, tossing me the keys. Mom just shook her head, with a fine. “I'll be quick!”, I ran back towards the house. “Damn bright girl, that one”, I heard Seth say. I smiled.

After doing my business, I decided to walk to catch up to the others, there was no reason to run. It would only scare animals away. I had barely stepped on the track before I remembered I forgot to lock the door and get my water. “Damn…”, I uttered. _Ups_ , I thought, _if mom had heard me say that out loud…_ I returned to the house again.

While I walked couldn’t help but wonder if they worried for me taking so long. Oh well, I thought, nothing to be done about it when I'm forgetful. I was almost there anyway.

Weird… I couldn’t hear the birds anymore… _Great, dad had probably decided to play a prank on me to take revenge for taking too long._ That just meant we had to be out here longer for the animals to return, _awesome_ , I sighed.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I broke the tree line. There was somebody standing in the middle of the clearing. _Wha-_

I tensed, there were people laying around him… Elias, Seth, Carmen. Panic started to build inside me.

Mom, dad?! What was happening?! There was blood all round…

I stumbled back a step.

**_SNAP!_ **

_A twig!?_ The person turned around faster than I had ever seen… towards me… _he had seen me…_ I couldn’t breathe… _no… this was no man, not human, it wouldn’t be! It was a huge monster… the sword it held, dripped blood of-…_

I was shaking, frozen, hot tears flowing from my eyes. My body felt cold. Even from here I could see... The skin. The hair. The clothes. The blood. A monster. It had no face. My breathing came in heavy. I had to run.

 _Run!_ I screamed at myself. _Run! Run! It's going to kill you too!_

_But mom… dad..._

My body took over. I turned and ran back into the trees as fast as I could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! :D


	3. Badblood Part 2

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

I had lost them…

I had lost the ooman…

It had been some time now, no sign of the small creature. I halted in the middle of the forest while remaining cloaked, my breathing heavy. _How could I have lost a ooman?!_

They were way faster than expected, had managed to stay under my radar while watching the ooman-group the past days. _Had they hidden somewhere?_

 _M-di_ , I pushed the thought away, I would have found them now if that was the case. How severely had I underestimated these oomans? They really were more cunning that I had chosen to believe. Refusing to heed the wisdom of my Elders, like the stupid young-blood I had been before the trial.

Now here I was, alone with no brothers, stuck on a pauk-de backwater planet! No working ship nor a means to contact my Clan, wildly chasing a ooman young through a dense forest.

How far had I fallen, on so few days? I'd gotten too reckless and lost my tracker during the fight with those Kainde Amedha. Separated from my brothers-in arms, just after we had been surrounded. There had been a lot more of them than we had expected. I had no idea if my brothers still lived…

I barely made it out alive myself, deciding to return to the broken ship to heal and wait… after a few days the ooman group had gotten too close for my liking, then only closing in on the ship and the hive from there.

I could only hope my brothers were healing elsewhere and would return to the ship soon, that one of them would still have a working tracker, at least one intact enough to fix or maybe we could repair the ship together somehow.

The Clan most likely believed us to be dead… But then they would come for our bodies, wouldn’t they?

I almost roared at myself. _How could they find us if the trackers were destroyed?_

Even if Elder Nagara decided to waste resources on 3 idiotic barely blooded, it could take months to track us down like that, even if Terra was a small planet. Only our ship had the coordinates after Elder Tbi had left for business, and Nagara would have to get approved by The Council too.

I would have to wrap whatever was going on up, one way or another, then find a way to get either the ship or tracker to work and go home. Where I would kneel and confess to my Leaders what I’ve done, and face the consequences of those actions, even if I was doomed a Kha’bj-te ic’jit. That would be the honorable thing to do.

Finding this small ooman before it got itself killed or worse, was the priority now. _But how to do that-?_

High-pitched screaming ran through the forest from afar, followed by more yelling, though distant, the small flying creatures in the trees quickly left, startled by the sounds.

_What in the name of Paya?_

I sat off into high speed towards the yelling. Readying my blades.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation:  
> Ooman = Human (slang)  
> Pauk-de = Fucking  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shell, Xenomorph  
> Nagara = Sword  
> Kha'bj-te = Reckless  
> Ic'jit = Badblood  
> Paya = God/Goddes  
> M-di = No
> 
> FYI Terra is another name for Earth :)


	4. Saved

Nita´s POV

* * *

I ducked behind a tree. Trying hard to catch my breath. Water still steaming down my face. _No no no… This had to be a nightmare! What was happening? It didn’t make any sense!_ I was panicking, barely breathing.

 _Calm your mind and breathe. Breathe in, hold 10 seconds, then out, 10 seconds. Keep going._ The voice of my mom ran tough my mind.

 _10 seconds._ I tried to breathe like that.

They were dead. The images of the monster, my dead family burned into my mind. I knew it wasn’t anything close to human, when it had turned to look at me. It had claws, the skin looked a scaly greenish brown, thick dreadlocks coming out of it's head, looking nothing like those Navia from school had, and reaching just below the shoulders. It looked like it had a metal mask on too.

I had to get out of here or I would get killed too. I had to call for help somehow. _The cabin!_ Looking around from where I was sitting, to figure out which way the house was, I felt my chest tighten again.

I had no idea where I was. I was lost. I had run in panic, not realizing which way I went.

 _Stay where you are if you ever get lost. If you are certain you know where you came from, retrace your steps,_ a lesson from dad.

But I couldn’t stay. It would find me… But I couldn’t go back either. I could go straight to it… or to the clearing. I couldnt go back there...

I sobbed with a hand clamped over my mouth. _Why?! What was I supposed to do?_

A sound caught my attention. I froze completely, daring not to make any noise. _Had it found me_?

_No… it sounded like… a car! If there were cars nearby, there would be people! They could help!_

I stumbled over my own feet getting up and running for the sound.

There was another clearing up ahead. _Could it be another cabin with a group of hunters? Or maybe a road!_

I stopped at the forest line, to breathe. Looking around, there was a radio tower, a dirt road and cars with people! Heat pressing from behind my eyes I took a step forward, breathing heavy, only to stop mid-step.

These people were all wearing black uniforms, with a big yellow W printed on the back of their white wests. All the cars were black too. They were loading metal crates into the cars. Was this a special military, Uncle Tate once talked about? They hadn’t seen me yet, but soldiers helped people! They could capture or kill the monster like in movies!

I ran down the hill. “Help!”, I called. “Please help!”. Everyone froze, looking my way. I stumbled over something, almost crashing into the nearest soldier. Everyone had suddenly pointed their gun at me. I couldn’t hold the tears back at all now.

“I'm sorry!”, I cried. “I need help! There's a monster after me! It killed them!”. The soldiers didn’t move but seemed to be unsure or wary about the next move.

“Stand down!”, a deep, gravelly voice commanded, the weapons lowered. “Calm down, child”, an older man in a different uniform stopped to stand in front of me, next to the soldier I had almost run into. “What did you say?”, he asked with a frown.

I blurted everything out, stammering about what I had seen.

“And this monster is chasing you?”, he voiced after I was done. “I t-think so? I saw it running after me…”. The man thought a moment, cold grey eyes staring into mine, he was intimidating. “What did you say he looked like?”, he questioned.

“It was big, l-like huge. It was wearing armour a-and a net, I think. It had a weird sword in its hand and black dreadlocks, it also had this grey metal mask on… I think…”, I tried to explain.

The man hummed, thinking. Was he believing I was lying? “I saw a monster, I'm not lying!”, I argued. “Oh, I believe you child. I'm just thinking…It killed your parents you say?”.

“Yes…”, I looked down, my lips trembling, tears dropping, _they were my parents._

“Do not worry, child. You will be fine”, he stated, giving some hand gestures. The soldiers resumed what they were doing before.

I started to feel like this hadn’t been a good idea, shouldn’t they do something if they believed me?

“Can I borrow a phone and call my uncle-?”, I hiccupped. “You won't have to. We will tell him when the time is right”, he cut me off. “Now, do as you're told, and come with us. You are going to be the perfect subject”.

 _What? What did he mean?_ Something suddenly felt very wrong, I felt it in my stomach. I didn’t trust this man _at all_. “No, I need a phone”, I protested. “You don’t”, he growled, nodding over my head. “Wrap it up and let's return to base!”, he commanded, I tried to back away.

“Wha- “, I didn’t finish my words, the soldier behind me suddenly picked me up. “No! Put me down!”, I cried, squirming. He tightened his hold, walking towards a car. “Argh! _Let go!_ ”, I screamed as loudly as I could. It hurt! “Shut it, kid!”, someone called.

_What was happening?! They are soldiers! They were supposed to help people! They were supposed to be heroes! Right?! Where were they going to take me?! Why were they doing this?!_

“I want this area cleared and documented, before we head back!”, the bad man demanded. “Soldier! Make sure we have recordings of this area, 24/7, in 500-meter radius!”. As I got carried closer to the car, I screamed and kicked as much as I could _. I didn’t want this! Why couldn’t dad be here?!_ “Seriously, shut her up! Somebody could hear!”.

I screamed and cried. He shifted me and opened the car door.

_No!_

Suddenly I heard a whistling sound, the soldier holding me released his tight grip he had. We both fell hard to the ground.

I shook my head, trying to clear it and then looked to him; blood was oozing from his neck, a large needle like thing sticking out. He was dead.

A terrifying roar pierced the air. My head jerked towards the sound.

My blood went cold.

Oh no… it was standing on the hill… where I had come from… it had found us. “ _Contact!_ ”, someone screamed. The soldiers all started yelling and opened fire upon the monster, that suddenly vanished. “Where the hell did it go?!”.

I crawled to a dropped metal box, hoping for cover, making myself as small as I could. I covered my ears, my whole body trembling.

Everything was a blur from there. Screaming. Yelling. Shooting. Explosions. And blood, so much blood. I stayed put, frozen, head down in my arms, hands over my ears.

It seemed like forever, yet no time had passed at all, when it finally went quiet. I dared to slowly raise my head, to look around. Every soldier was laying scattered on the ground, dead, covered in blood.

I almost puked.

My eyes widened. It, the monster, was standing, unscratched, a few feet away from me, head facing my way.

Was this an evil spirit? Something that killed trespassers in its forest? Something out of a legend or a myth, my grandpa once told me about?

I shook, not daring to move. It was going to kill me, just like everybody else… I had nowhere to run anymore, even if I had, it would just find me again.

Maybe if I prayed, it wouldn’t hurt…?

I whimpered when it moved, only to start walking away.

 _What?_ Why didn’t it kill me like the others? This didn’t make sense. After a few steps it stopped and looked back to me. Had it changed its mind? Was I going to die anyway? But there were no weapons in sight. It just stood there, watching me.

Did it want me to follow, was that it? How could it expect me to do something like that, when it had killed everyone else?! But… I had nothing… nowhere to go… I didn’t even know where I was, and it saved me from whatever those soldiers wanted. Even if it did kill them.

I couldn’t stay here; I knew that much. I took a deep breath, fighting the tears trying to appear again. I stood up slowly, and took a small step towards the evil spirit, hoping I wasn’t wrong, and it wouldn’t kill me. It took some more steps, then moved it's head to look at me.

Okay…? It wanted me to follow it for sure.

So, I did.

It was leading me through a part of the forest I didn’t recognize at all. Every few steps it looked back to me, as if to ensure I was still following. I, however, made sure to stay at a safe distance away, should it change it's mind suddenly.

After a long time of walking, I felt numb, nothing felt real anymore. I was so tired too.

A mountain, or rather a cave in a mountain came into view through the trees. _Was it the mountain from the yellow road?_ I wondered. If it was, I didn’t know this side of it. The monster entered the cave, but I stayed outside, unsure.

It moved to the middle of the cave room, beginning to build a… fire? So, this wasn’t a ghost… but it wasn’t human either _._ Bigfoot? _No_ , I argued with myself, Bigfoot was hairy and not real. This monster was very real and looked scaly.

The creature pointed to wall opposite of where it was kneeling, I looked over. There was a bag over there, I couldn’t recognize it, but it looked like a backpack for hiking. Did- did it want me to take it? I shifted, unsure what it wanted me to do. It was watching me, but I didn’t move. Something resembling a sigh came from it.

Apparently giving up on me for now, it pulled out a box from behind it. It put something that looked like a grid over the fire. What was it doing? Then the monster opened the box and threw something on the metal, it gave a sizzling sound. Was it cooking something?

I remembered I hadn’t eaten or drank anything since this morning. I was hungry, thirsty and exhausted. _How long had it been since…?_

I glanced behind me; the sun was low over the trees. It didn’t feel real at all. Maybe if I found my way back somehow, the others would greet me at the house. Ask me where I had been sleepwalking to.

No, it wasn’t possible… even if that hadn’t happened, I was still lost, it was still getting dark. I would freeze out there, even if it were late summer.

I looked back inside at the fire and the monster. It pointed to the backpack again. Curiosity won over fear, I crept inside the cave slowly, staying by the wall opposite the creature. It was watching me, no doubt closely. I grabbed the bag and emptied the containments out on the ground. A blanket, some clothes too big for my size and a metal bottle fell out. I took and opened to bottle, smelling it. No strong smells. Taking my chances, I tasted. Water, just clear, clean water. I knew to control myself or else I would get sick. I drank in slow, small sips. The sizzling sound came again, after I closed the cap.

I looked up to find the monster still watching me.

Gathering some courage, I asked, “why did you save me? What do you want? Why did you kill everyone?”, silent tears fell. The creature leaned it's head to the side, not seeming to understand, the dreadlocks falling over one shoulder. There were some kind of beads on them. So, we couldn’t talk to each other then? I huffed lightly and leaned against the wall and let myself slide down, sniffing, sipping the water occasionally.

Whatever it was cooking was starting to smell good, nothing like I had ever smelled but it still reminded me of a meaty smell. I was so hungry too, maybe it would share?

I shouldn’t push though, I could handle a day without eating, remembering how Darla had accidentally burned all the remaining pasta to a crisp while we had been camping with the scouts a few months ago. Our leader hadn’t had the resources to get food for the last day after a racoon had stolen all the bread too. But he had promised us a buffet after coming home the next afternoon.

The creature had seemed more focused on the fire and the food, after realizing it didn’t understand me.

Suddenly it pointed to the food. Huh? It held up its hand spread, which had claws on the fingers, and made a strange motion. What? Then it pointed to me, then itself and made a smooth throwing gesture _. It wanted me to catch me it?_ Was it going to throw it at me? Maybe it didn’t want to get close to me? Wasn’t the food for itself?

Out of nowhere, the monster grabbed the food off the grid and threw it at me. I yelped, barely catching the food with my hands, then I realized my mistake. Oh oh. “Ow, hot hot hot”, I whimpered, dropping it on the clothes, hoping it was clean. “Could have warned me first”, I mumbled. The creature seemed to realize as well, somehow; and made a weird noise.

I peeled some strips of off the piece that did seem like meat, tasting. It was good, like really good. I looked up to see what it was doing. It seemed busy with pulling the grid off the fire _. Was it not going to eat? Maybe it couldn’t? Could it even take its mask off? But had it cooked just for me then?_

I ate slowly while watching it, it didn’t seem interested in me at the moment, I began to eat a bit faster. Not caring for the temperature or manners.

Soon I had eaten it all, but I was full. The meat had been tender and juicy, though still cooked all the way through. My gaze returned to the creature; it was facing my way again, apparently having taken care of the grid. I squirmed a bit in place, _had I been wrong? Maybe it had been meaning to share?_

I felt my chest tighten again. Was it going to go for the kill? It rose from its position by the fire, I pressed myself against the cave wall. But to my surprise it simply turned around to go through what looked like a sack of pelt.

By nightfall, the creature left after taking hold of the pelt sack. It didn’t stop or look back, just kept walking. It didn’t want me to follow this time? I was too exhausted to even try, and it was starting to get chilly, but the fire still burned strong.

 _Would it come back?_ I wondered. I decided I need more warmth, so I took the blanket and put it over me, leaning against the wall. Tears fell as everything suddenly hit me again. I was alone in a cave; that monster had killed my- 

It had hunted me down only to save me from bad soldiers, lead me back here, fed me and then it had left. I was so confused, scared and alone.

I pulled the blanket closer, I wanted mom and dad to hug me, I wanted uncle to come pick me up, I wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

I had no clue where I was. Was someone looking for me now? Was my uncle? That’s what people did, right? Send out search parties, to find those missing. But that would mean they knew I was gone. Did they think I was dead? Could more of those bad soldiers be looking for me?

Could I ever go home?

_Mom, you promised…_

My eyes were growing heavy. _Maybe resting a few minutes wouldn’t hurt?_

I jumped awake at the sound of shuffling. The creature was back, watching me from the entrance of the cave, daylight shining brightly from behind it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try sticking to updating once a week


	5. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nita and Nrak'ytara have their first real interaction. But how will that go when you dont speak the same language?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys!  
> I know it hasnt been a week yet, but I decided to post this chapter ealier as it is finished.
> 
> Can I also ask you to go back to chapter 2 and 4 and just glance through them quickly? You dont have to through.  
> I've rewritten some sentences, added a few things too. Just changed it up a bit.  
> But just as a summary for it: Nita is now a few months short of being 12, instead of 10. There is also some details written in, that will be revealed in a future chapter 
> 
> Thank you! :)

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

Returning to the cave, I thought I was alone. But upon closer inspection, I realized the ooman was laying on the ground, hidden under a bundle of rags from the bag I had found some days ago, before leading them back here.

 _Strange…_ Usually when I returned after the guan, the small ooman would be up and retreat to one of the cave walls. But they didn’t move this time.

It had been a few days since they followed me here. _Could it be they’d become used to my presence?_

Taking another step, I was expecting of some sort of reaction, but there was no movement at all.

 _Had something happened?_ I had focused on getting food supplies this guan, and I hadn’t been gone that long this time, it was still dusky out, though the sun could come any minute now. I scanned the entire cave with my visor, no trespassers. _They couldn’t be hurt, could they?_

Cautiously I slowly laid the fallen prey on the stone floor, and took small, quiet steps towards the bundle of rags. _Were the young too scared to move?_ I slowly kneeled by the head of the small ooman _. Maybe a sound could make it react?_

I gave a soft, _Paya preserve my dignity_ , purr.

_Nothing?_

I felt a strange sensation in my stomach. _Had I failed at this too, to keep this small being alive?_ I believed I had given them everything to survive. Space, water, fire, food, roasted even. Could I have missed something, maybe something I hadn’t learned? Had I actually overestimated this small ooman, that had taken me by surprise?

 _M-di_ , they were still breathing; they still had a strong heartbeat too.

I raised my hand… could I-

 _Would they be scared if I touched them?_ Hesitant, I laid my palm on top of the bundle as gently as I could. I increased my purring. Then the young finally shifted a bit, perhaps the sound was calming to oomans too.

Startled, I pulled my hand away, as the young turned around to lay their other side.

Feeling like an utter fool, I sighed lightly. _How stupid could I possibly be? Of course, the ooman didn’t move much._ It was still dusky out. I recalled being told, every ooman go into something like dhi’ki-de every night. Yautja only had to do so perhaps once a week, by earth standards.

So, the young ooman had waited to rest, to after I left? Then had awoken before my returns? Had they believed I would strike while they were vulnerable?

_How insulting-!_

But… I couldn’t blame the young, as when we first met, I had not been an honourable hunter.

This changed everything… They left themself completely vulnerable, alone at night, yet out of fear of me. If I didn’t return in time they could die, or worse…

The lighting shifted, turning my head back, I saw the sun rising over the trees. As light fell on the ooman they stirred, slowly waking up.

I was surprised how this one handled themselves. They had chosen the perfect place to rest in the cave. Far enough inside to not be spotted from outside view, yet far enough to the entrance to let light wake them. Impressive for a pup.

But I had to move. We had not yet been this close to each other. If I were right about my conclusion, they would certainly be terrified if they found me looming over their sleeping form.

I moved back without a sound, as their eyes opened. I was still way too close. _Pauk!_ Their eyes landed on me. I hadn’t moved fast enough. Despite my full attention on the young one I flinched as they gave a shriek louder than I believed oomans were capable of, and scrambled away from me, back hitting the wall with a thump.

 _This had gone on for far too long. We had to make some sort of communication, some progress or anything._ I tried to make myself smaller while still kneeling, slowly raising my hands, palms facing up towards the ooman, trying not to be intimidating. I purred softly again.

I had heard oomans showed this position when meant they no harm, hoping the young would understand, and the purring would help calm it down, like it did suckers and hopefully angry females back home.

I had no intact recordings of ooman speech I understood. Neither had I even tried to study the ooman language, I knew most Elders could speak a bit, even some Elites. I only understood few words. My own language would have to do.

“Gkaun-yte”, I clicked. The young jumped, startled. “M-di h'dlak. M-di mar'ct”, I continued. It wouldn’t matter how many words I used, I just had to try to make them understand.

The ooman stayed still by the wall, but I could tell they were paying attention. “M-di h'dlak”, I tried to explain as softly as I was able.

Perhaps saying words of common things would make them understand I wouldn’t harm them? But our distance had the get further. I shifted my feet to move back, the young tensed, heartbeat speeding up.

I slowly backed away, still crouched down, my hands always in the little one’s line of sight. I quickly scanned the cave, _what to say?_

I pointed to the ground, “n'ithya”. Their gaze quickly shifted from me to the ground then up again. They pushed harder up against the wall, shaking. _Did they think I meant; come here?_ I had to calm them down, their heart was beating way too fast, faster than a dying prey’s did when fighting for their life. I could hear their breathing clearly too. _Think fast!_

“Dto”, I said, pointing outside. _Hmmm…_ The water-bowl I had brought in from the ship, “ju'dha”. Their heart rate was slowing down, but still too fast for my liking. “Amedha”, referring to the prey I had dropped near the entrance. Their head was tilted just a bit, _were they understanding?_

“Y-you're talking to me, a-aren’t you?”, they whispered. I understood some words luckily, but couldn’t make out everything, the meaning was clear thankfully.

“Sei-i”, I responded with a nod. They finally seemed to untense a bit. “I- don’t understand…”, they said. I pointed to them. "Ooman”.

“Ooh-man…?”, they mimicked. “That’s human…?”.

I nodded slowly again.

 _Maybe sign language was better?_ That I could do, and I knew I had heard stories from The Elders, that some Clans had communicated with oomans that way. I remembered a story from when I was a pup, told by Elder Nagara; when he had been an Elite, he had a ooman or a group of them join in on a hunt once. They had talked via signing.

Hoping they understood, I began to sign the things I had told earlier.

 _Or maybe not…_ They just looked at me strangely.

I spent some time trying to talk with the ooman, pointing to different things, then saying them in my tongue, even suckers should understand this.

Thankfully the young ooman had calmed down some, no longer terrified. The words that they certainly understood from me, they began to repeat in their own language and even tried to mimic what I said.

Out of nowhere a low growl interrupted us.

Alarmed, I spun up to face the cave entrance looking for the threat, yet not unsheathing my blades just yet. If the Kainde Amedha had found us I had to kill them fast or at least draw them away from the cave.

But… there was nothing?

Then it sounded again, I realized it came from behind me. I looked down on the ooman, head tilted to the side, my tendrils falling over my shoulder. Their heart picked up speed again, but it was their face that caught my attention, it was getting warmer and warmer.

 _Ahh_ , I caught on quickly.

I remember learning oomans had to eat multiple times a day and I hadn’t given them food today yet. What they did with all that food was a mystery. _How could they consume so much from day-to-day, yet be so small, soft, and weak?_

“Ki'se”, I clicked with my mandibles though the ooman couldn’t see for my mask.

“Are you… laughing?”, they asked with a small voice yet sounded shocked. And once again I had underestimated this tiny ooman, they knew I was amused. “Sei-i”, I replied, still clicking. I turned around to prepare the prey I caught so we had more food. Out of the corner of me visor I noticed the ooman pup was watching me closely.

That night the ooman had trusted me enough to go to sleep before I would be leaving. I had set up traps at the entrance during the daytime with the materials I had that I knew to be effective, so they would be safe while I was away. I had tried to show them where the traps were placed, but I didn’t know how much the pup had understood. _Probably more than I realized._

While preparing my gear for the night trip to fix- try to fix the ship, I was surprised when I suddenly heard a weak sound coming from the young one. It was repeating, yet soft and quiet. _Were they calling out for me? Was something wrong?_

“Ooman?”, I clicked. No reply but them tightening their hold on the rags. I slowly walked closer, “ooman?”, I asked again. The sound... it was… _broken_.

_Oh mo…_

_How stupid could I be?!_ They were _mourning_ , in their _sleep_. I had practically sliced their life-bringer to pieces in front of this young. I had killed the entire group, thinking they were stupid prey playing with death. Their sire had most likely also been there, and who knows what relations the others had to this pup.

Just how would it feel? Seeing such a thing, so young, only to rely on their murderer’s care to survive? I had no doubt if this ooman had been fully grown they would have fought me to the death like a true warrior, just like they’d tried to do. But they were still too small, too weak, yet young enough to depend on others for survival.

I knelt behind them, softly purring.

_Forgive me, young one. I should have been more observant… I regret that kv’var. Know I will pay for my actions by the laws of my people. The Elders of my clan will bring you the justice you deserve, as I am too much of a s’yuit-de to do so myself. But I could not leave you to a terrible fate, knowing your loss is a failure-... a crime I committed._

I placed a hand on their form, the young tensed slightly, breath hitching. I softly increased my purring hoping to ease their rest.

It only worsened. I had believed I had heard the sounds of mourning before, from my people and voice-clips of oomans finding the remains of their fallen brothers and sisters. But nothing came close to the broken sounds of this small, young ooman weeping in front of me.

_Paya… What have I done?_

That night I stayed in the cave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you think with a comment! :D
> 
> Translation:  
> Ooman = Human (slang)  
> Guan = Night  
> Paya = God/Goddess  
> M-di = No  
> Dhi'ki-de = Rest, unconsciousness (sleep)  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> Gkaun-yta = Hello, greetings  
> M-di h'dlak = No fear  
> M-di mar'ct = No kill  
> N'ithya = Ground, dirt  
> Dto = Forest, jungle, trees  
> Ju'dha = Water  
> Amedha = Meat  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shell (Xenomorps)  
> Ki'se = I understand, I agree  
> Mo = No  
> Kv'var = Hunt  
> S'yuit-de = Idiot


	6. Strange Creatures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 6 is here  
> I've tried to upload a few times already but hopefully now its up?

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

The sun was almost at it's peak on the sky. I was sitting on a large rock outside a bit from the cave.

It had been 2 spans since the pup, and I had begun to communicate. They hadn’t let me too close after _that night_. But they- we were both adapting to each other, they did their best to understand me and I them. But it was limited, only a few words exchanged at a time...

My current focus was trying to make my wrist-blades work again, it hadn’t acted properly since those pauk-de ooman warriors had nearly blown my arm off. They hadn’t succeeded though; I suppressed a laugh. Taken by surprise, they hadn’t posed much of a threat, but they had deserved their merciless deaths.

I had gone back to blow up the area that night and clean up, they were tarei'hasan, unworthy as trophies. Trying to harm a pup of their own kind while they were struggling to get away and crying out? _It was disgusting_. Dare I say, not even Badbloods were that cruel. Oomans were truly a strange species, so dishonourable and weak.

I had a feeling the pup was an exception, like few others. They were so small, yet I could begin to see a strong heart in them. They had quickly learned how to build a fire and cook food properly, after I had showed them how. A fast learner and a good adapter were 2 signs of becoming a true warrior, someone great. I wondered what the pup would be like as a grown ooman or if they had been born a Yautja. They would be crafty, cunning, and deadly no doubt.

Elder Nagara would definitely be interested in this pup. 

My blade shot out at full length after I had pushed too hard on something on my gauntlet. _Pauk, this pauk-de thing!_ Why was I terrible at fixing things! It would help if I had the proper tools. But of course, they had been lost since the Kainde Amedha had found and attacked the ship.

Sourly, I growled at my wrist.

“Are you okay?”, a small voice sounded from above me. I looked up to the pup standing just outside the cave entrance. It was the first time I had seen them outside since I lead them here. As far as I know, they slept at night while I was away to look at the ship, patrol, or hunting for food after running low on the remaining supplies. When I was around at daytime working on my own equipment or patrolling once again to ensure no ooman nor R'ka was sneaking up on us, the pup stayed inside.

I held up my right hand with my wrist-blade, tapping it twice, hoping the young understood my growing problem. Trying to pull it back, I realized it had gotten stuck…

 _Pauk!_ My patience was really running thin. _What in the name of Cetanu was I supposed to do?!_ Were Paya already making me pay for my crimes… I left my brothers, I killed a life-bringer. Was there more? _Most likely…_

 _H'ko!_ I killed the life-bringer and a sire, the ones responsible for the pup. But I _had not_ abandoned my brothers! We had been separated. I had killed the Kainde Amedha that surrounded me somehow… My vision had gone dark… When I came to, I was alone. I had searched the area there had been nothing, only corpses of those dammed serpents.

I had hauled myself back to the ship, and they were yet to return. I hoped they were hidden somewhere… recovering. But they could be dead too, laying somewhere I hadn’t looked.

There was another option too, but I didn’t want to think too much about it…

That they had gone home already, called for pick-up after giving up on the ship and left, believing me dead… The chance was there, I had been the one to be pulled away from them. We had tried to strand together, but the r’ka had forced me away from the others.

Had they even looked for me? Were they looking for my body now? Does my family know? I couldn’t send them any kind of message at all, not even the ship could’ve gone back with the news of my death. Would my sire and bearer be disappointed in my failure, the uncertainty of my disappearance? Were my siblings? My oldest brother was no doubt disappointed in me, being an Elite himself. But would my sister, my youngest sibling, even have some memories of me? She wasn’t even a pup when I had left to become blooded.

Yautja custom taught us that there were 2 kind of deaths. If it was honourable? You would be remembered, stories and praises told about you, your hunts and trophies.

But if it wasn’t…? You would be forgotten, simply a failure… a casualty in a battle.

The T’sha’re-Clan was different. At least Nagara tried… He taught us that a warrior’s death held meaning, no matter what, even in failure. But he would not excuse a break of the code in any way. Then you would be executed and forgotten.

Once a blooded hunter had been executed in front of the whole clan after burning down an entire ooman colony, just to flush out a single R’ka. I had only been a pup then, but I remember it clearly. His name was to be forgotten, erased along with his body and trophies. His family name shamed forever…

Maybe it would be better to be presumed dead, killed during a hunt than to suddenly turn up to bring shame to my clan-name, to my sire and bearer by confessing my crimes against the law.

_But there would be no honour in that either..._

_Paya, Cetanu, guide me home... let me pay for my crimes..._

Deep in thought, I hadn’t seen the ooman pup walking closer until they were almost standing in front of me. They were staring at my blade, the blade that had bathed in their family blood.

“D-do you need help?”, they asked, clearly uncertain. Did I understand correctly? Help? Were they asking permission to assist me repairing this blade?

Not wanting to harm the young with my unsheathed blade, I pulled back a bit.

“I've put rifles apart and back together again. Maybe I can help”, they continued quietly. I cocked my head to the side, unsure if I heard this right. This pup had dealt with weapons for grown oomans before? Just how much were this one capable of?

Well… what harm could it possibly do? As long as they stayed clear of the sharp end, maybe the pup could perform a miracle. They wouldn’t even have to touch the panel on the gauntlet.

I nodded, moving up to sit down behind the stone, placing my wrist and the tools on top of my previous position so they could reach. The pup sat down on the other side looking at my gauntlet and the tools.

I studied them as they focused on their self-assigned task. How much more would I be taken aback by this very pup? How could a pup, a ooman young, be so small and fragile yet be so… acclimated and determined? I'm not even sure if those were the right words, for especially this pup…

The ooman had been at it for some time now… Maybe I should just give it up, it was better having my twin blades be stuck unsheathed than sheathed. The pup didn’t seem to have made any more progress with than I did. I almost believed if they kept digging in my gauntlet the blades would fall out.

I have never been good at fixing the things I expected to just work. Making new things? That was another story, but without the prober materials and equipment I couldn’t. I could probably prepare some primitive weapons of another kind so we could defend ourselves better should the need come.

I was about to tell the pup off, but suddenly the blades flew back into the gauntlet. The ooman and I jerked both taken by surprise. _Huh?_ The pup looked at my mask, maybe seeking confirmation about their success with my blade.

I held up my other hand in a; _hold on_ gesture. Pointing my blade arm towards some trees to activate the gauntlet. **_SHLING!_** The blade was out, I tested it a few times, pulling it out and back, it worked like before.

_Interesting…_

“Th’ank”, I tried to mimic the ooman word of gratitude I had heard some time ago. It seemed to work as the young looked surprised and uttered a stuttering, “n-no problem”.

I should probably get some more water for the pup and me, I thought as I stood up again the pup did the same, taking a few steps back. Perhaps they wanted to come with?

“Water. Get. Fol-low?”, I tried to ask, I knew I probably didn’t make sense, I should talk more with them to get better. But they seemed to understand, “umm, o-okay”, the pup responded, I could hear the uncertainty in their voice. “Stay”, I said with a gesture, the pup nodded.

I walked back to the cave quickly to get the bowl I kept water in. “Come”, I said as gently as I could, walking past the pup into the trees. They followed a few steps behind.

The pup stayed by the shore of the creek, as I stood in water, cleaning the bowl before I would fill it with fresh water. I glanced at them occasionally, seeing them hesitantly take everything around us in. _A curious pup?_ That was a good sign, they were observant.

They seemed… relaxed for the first time, completely calm. Maybe they liked this place?

After refilling the bowl, I began to walk up to the trees, I stopped when I heard a soft sigh. Turning around, I found the ooman had also turned, facing me from a few feet away. Did they want to be here longer? I supposed that would be fine, the pup hadn’t been outside the cave close to 5 spans and I could wait until it got dark to get new supplies and materials.

“Stay?”, I hoped they would understand it as a question. “Can we?”, they asked me. I nodded with a hum. That seemed to get their mood up a bit. They began to search the area, clearly absorbed by the place. I sat down on a fallen tree between the forest and shore after placing the bowl on the ground, simply observing them.

 _What a strange creature_ , I thought, _I never expected oomans would act like this… Maybe only the pups of the species did or was this one a special case?_

The ooman walked up to stand before me after a while. “D-do you have a name?”, the young asked _. They… wanted my name?_ I realized I hadn’t even thought about that, I didn’t know theirs either. In fact, I didn’t know much about oomans at all not to mention this one.

I laid my hand over my chest in greeting. “Nrak'ytara”, I told them. They did not expect that, I could see it in their face. I know they were trying to understand my name, but I had to hold back a laugh as they stood there gaping in thought. It wouldn’t be polite to laugh at something like that. Most ooman names were rumoured to be simple, yet hard to pronounce in my tongue, so if they couldn't pronounce mine? I wouldn't hold it against them.

“En-rak-ita”, they tried to mimic my name. I shook my head, “M-di, Nrak'ytara”.

They tried again, “En-rah-kitar. Sorry, I don’t think I can say that”, they sounded disappointed. “C-can I call you Raki…? It's like a nickname…”, they asked unsure.

A nickname? Was that a shortened version of a name? Raki… It did sound a bit like the name my siblings would call me from time to time.

I nodded, it was close enough to my name and I couldn’t expect a ooman pup to speak like a Yautja. They seemed to untense some after I approved.

“Thanks… um… my name is Nita”, they said. It was a short name, but it sounded weird. I tried, “Niii-a”, staining to mimic. The pup made a strange noise. “Umm, Nita”, they tried more slowly this time. “Nii'tah”, I clicked. “That’s close, I couldn’t say yours, so it’s okay”, they said.

“Can I ask you something?”, the pup questioned after some time staying in silence. “Sei-i”, I hummed. They knew it meant yes.

They opened their mouth, but no words came out. They were getting tense again. They stood, fidgeting, trying to ask what they wanted.

 _Give them time,_ I thought to myself. _This is the longest we’ve been in the same place, the longest conversation we've had._ I couldn’t help but wonder… were they still afraid of me? Did they hate me? Was the pup seeing a murderous criminal sitting in front of them? _What was going on in their head?_

Why… when did I grow to care about this ooman so much? It didn’t make any sen-

Suddenly a cold feeling washed down my back.

_We were being watched..._

Quickly I stood up and spun around facing the trees, raising an arm for Nita to move back, my eyes on the forest.

Before I had finished scanning the treeline, a R'ka jumped out from the shadows, ramming into me and knocking me down to the ground before I had the chance to react.

They had tracked us down!

Despite going down hard with my air lost and a bit disoriented, I realized it hadn’t managed to get a good hold on me, so I threw it off, quickly getting up again.

A scream and a thump.

_Nita!_

Turning, I found another on top of her, pining her down.

 _Pauk! There were at least 2!_ I must act fast!

I ran full force at them, jamming my wrist blade into its neck. Managing to impale it all the way through, just below the head. I pulled up hard with a with a twist, the head popping clean off.

I kicked the body hard away, so the acidic blood wouldn’t injure the pup. They gave a weak yelp.

I had to get free range to fight the last R'ka, the ooman would just get in the way if they stayed close.

But they would have no chance nor time to run.

I grabbed the pup and threw them into the water.

**_SPLASH!_ **

It wasn’t that deep; they would be just fine.

The dammed beast shouldn’t follow there unless it had to, and I _wouldn’t_ let it.

I spun, blade ready, giving a challenging roar to the 2nd Kainde Amedha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I may or may not get a new job tomorrow... depending on that, the upload schedule will change since I won't be able to make a new chapter each week. But I'll let you guys know.
> 
> Translations:  
> Tarei'hasan = Insect  
> Pauk-de = Fucking  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shell, Xenomorph  
> R'ka = Xenomorph  
> Cetanu = God of Death  
> Paya = God/Goddess  
> T'sha're = Shadow  
> Ooman = Human  
> H'ko = No  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> M-di = No
> 
> So there's 3 words for no, but this is how i headcanon them (dunno if its right?)
> 
> H'ko - The formal or serious response - used in conversations with those ranking above or need to state no  
> M-di - Most used version. Used between family and hunting brothers incl. stangers.  
> Mo - A slang (source says its slang). Used by very close friends and family. Also by pups and suckers. The quickest, most informal version


	7. Not So Bad After All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! 
> 
> I got the job and decided to celebrate with a new chapter!
> 
> But that also means my uploading schedule will change to maybe every 2 weeks.

Nita´s POV

* * *

The monster had agreed to stay by the creek for a bit longer, which was nice. It walked over to sit on a fallen tree while I walked around looking at everything.

This place was beautiful, I had never seen anything like it. The water wasn’t deep as I could clearly see the bottom but still fish were swimming in it. There was grass all round, going some feet until the forest started on both sides.

After some time, I glanced at the monster. _Maybe I should try to talk to it again…?_ It had tried to calm me down multiple times, it had even stayed in the cave trying comfort me that night I-

It also tried to teach me how to build a fire and cook even though I knew the basics already. _Could it have a name?_

“D-do you have a name?”, I hesitantly asked after walking some way up to it. It seemed to take a moment to think. _Maybe it didn’t?_

“Nrak'ytara”, it responded after a while, hand raised to its chest.

_Raki-what?_

I had never heard of anyone with a name like that. I tried to mimic it, not successful. But it agreed to let me call it Raki instead, which it did sound like… at least the first part. It could almost say my name after 2nd try.

_No…_

_He… I'm pretty sure it’s he… maybe…_

I had to ask him now. “Can I ask you something?”, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it, but I had to know why he-

He buzzed with what I believed to be his version of yes. I tried to ask, but no words came out… _Would he become angry?_ I could feel the pressure behind my eyes, I couldn’t stand still either. I could feel my body begin to tremble.

But... I had to know why-

His former relaxed body suddenly became rigid like stone.

_Had I done something wrong?_

But before I could do anything else, he rotated to face the trees once behind him, gesturing for me to stay back.

_What was going on?_

A large black creature suddenly leaped out of the forest with a scream, tackling him to the ground, both landing with a loud thump.

_What kind of animal could knock him ov-?!_

Before I knew it, another was on top of me screeching in my face. Knocking the air from my lungs _. It had 2 mouths?!_ I screamed, terrified, as the inner mouth began to show itself. This was _no_ animal. My chest shaking, trying to breathe again. _I can’t get away!_ It had my arms pressed painfully hard to the ground.

Raki were above me in an instant, beheading the black monster with the wrist swords, I had helped repair earlier. The head flew away, a thick neon-green liquid following.

Raki kicked the creature off me with what I believed was full force. A sharp pain shut through my left ankle, I yelped but I barely had the chance to look before I found myself being picked up and thrown through the air.

**_SPLASH!_ **

I took a gasping breath as I sat up, realizing I had been thrown into the water. Breathing deeply with a few coughs, I saw Raki giving a loud angry roar to the other monster, his arms spread out.

_He- he had thrown me into the water… keeping the other from attacking me… he saved me…_

They charged at each other, Raki with his right arm raised, the other raised its large tail which moved almost like a snake. It had a spike on the end.

_What kind of beings were these creatures?!_

The tail shut forward.

_Raki-_

_It was gonna hurt him!_

But he had definitely seen it coming. Twisting away quickly before it hit him.

Taking a step aside, he grabbed the huge knife he had sheathed on his lower leg with his left hand. Sliding it upward cutting the tail off almost at the beginning of the creature. It screamed like I had never heard before; I quickly covered my ears to try and block the piercing sound.

The same liquid from the other one splashed out of the wound.

The knife was… _dissolving._

_Was there some kind of acid inside that monster?!_

He threw the knife away from his body and spun away just as the monster inner mouth shot out toward him. How was Raki going to beat it if it was full of acid?!

 _But he had killed the other one, hadn’t he?_ I thought. _Maybe he had gotten lucky and surprised it? But this one had its full attention on him…_

They circled each other again for a few seconds. Growling and screeching.

I didn’t dare move from my place in the water. Suddenly the creature tried to leap into the trees again.

It was running?

But Raki apparently wouldn’t have it. Grabbing another thing hidden on his side faster than I thought possible. It looked like a… frisbee? It made a clinging sound of metal, sharps pikes coming out all around it as he gave it a shook. Then he thrust it directly at the monster. It flew straight through its head, sliding it in half, the black creature fell to the ground.

Dead in an instant.

I stayed frozen, breathing shaking and heavy. Raki had just killed 2 monsters in probably a few minutes, but it had felt like so much longer.

I stared at him.

_What was he…?_

He seemed to take a moment to ensure both monsters were completely dead, then checking the trees.

_Did he know what those things were? Were there more of them?_

Then he seemed sure nothing more was coming for us, he turned to me. “Come. Cave”, he clicked as he reached out for me.

I was still shaking but I didn’t want to be stay here right now, the cave was safer.

I slowly stood up, only to fall back down. My ankle was hurting a lot suddenly.

“Ow”, I exclaimed weakly. I looked down seeing the water around it was slightly pink. I was bleeding. There was small opening in my pant leg just above the shoe. It looked like I had been burned and then a thin cut in the middle of the.

That creature had hit me, both with the green stuff and something sharp, I grasped. It hurt a lot but the water must have stopped the acid stuff.

Raki suddenly seemed very concerned, almost dashing out to me in the water that barely reached the middle of his shin before kneeling. With a surprising gentleness he took hold of my leg then checking my wound. Then he gave a sound resembling a relived exhale. “Try. Walk?”, he said, probably asking if I could get up again.

I got up, this time aware of the pain. At least I could stand. Raki stayed down, watching me, maybe to catch me should I fall again…

I took a few steps towards the shore. I was limping but I could walk with some difficulty, I whimpered quietly because of the burning sensation, clenching my teeth.

Raki stood up behind me, seemed to consider something then. “Carry?”. _He wanted to carry me?_ I guess it was faster to move than with me limping and I did hurt a lot. “O-okay…”, I replied hesitantly. _The only people I remember to ever carry me, besides mom, had been dad and Uncle Tate._

He gently picked me up, carefully holding me with an arm under my legs, the other hand on my back. The hold was firm yet gentle. I almost felt like I was flying because of his height

He began walking back to the cave, softly purring, his chest vibrating.

It felt… calming when he did that.

Like I was safe.

I closed my eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the cave, the sun was start starting to rise. I sat op, rubbing the sleep out if my eyes. It was a bit cold, so I decided to ready a fire to warm up a bit.

I tried to stand and felt a dull burning in my ankle. _What?_ There was a bandage covering my left ankle, something blue faintly showing through.

Yesterday’s events flashed through my mind.

_I had almost forgotten..._

Raki had told me his name. We had been attacked at the creek by those black monsters that bled a yellow-green acid. Raki killing them. One of them had managed at gaze my ankle, leaving a small cut and a burn. It didn’t hurt as much as yesterday though.

My clothes were dry too.

 _What happened?_ I remember… Raki picking me up, him purring, then I woke up. Had I fallen asleep, while he carried me? Had he left at night like he usually did?

I looked around the cave, finding Raki sitting, leaning on the wall opposite me. “Raki?”, I asked quietly.

He didn’t respond. Could he be sleeping? I hadn’t been sure if he did, or he was now, as I hadn’t seen it before. Had he treated the wound? He must have. He had stayed in the cave again…

It had felt nice to be outside, I kind of missed it. I just hadn’t had the energy or want to go for since coming here except for when I did my business. But when Raki took me to the creek I remembered how pretty the forest is and the cave was dark and boring.

I wanted to go outside again. The monsters were dead, right? Raki wouldn’t mind if I went outside by myself, would he?

I wouldn’t go far maybe just try picking some of the berries had I had seen yesterday while walking to the creek, but I didn’t feel like going that far was a good idea.

The berries should be edible. As much as I liked the meat, I kind of wanted something else once in a while, at least until-

I interrupted myself, shaking my head slightly.

“Raki?”, I whispered again. No reaction from him.

I wouldn’t be long. I walked out of the cave.

I had to walk a bit before finding the bushes with berries, but it was still far enough from the creek that I didn’t mind. I was sure some these were edible, huckleberries, gooseberries and were those wild strawberries?

I took a closer look, that would be cool if they were.

 _They weren’t, what was these called? Salmonberry? Yes, I was fairly sure it was those._ Close to tasteless yet a bit sour, but still safe to eat as far as I remember being taught.

I hadn’t brought anything to put them in… so my hand or shirt would have to do. I began plucking berries of those looking ripe, but not overly so.

Just as I decided I'd have enough, I heard a low growl behind be.

Oh… Raki had probably woken up, finding me and he didn’t sound pleased. “Raki…”, I said turning around. “I was just picking some- “, I stopped when I didn’t see him behind me. There was no one. _Had I heard wrong?_ _Maybe just the wind-_

 _There was not that much wind here right now_ , I reminded myself.

A growl again, I looked around, he wasn’t there… was he invisible like he had been fighting those soldiers? But why would he do that now?

A snarl came from above. That wasn’t like him at all… I looked up.

Dropping everything I had, the berries falling to the grass. There was one of those things– black monsters in the trees. Watching me. Dripping whatever was in its mouth down on the grass. My legs trembled; my breathing came fast. My body felt heavy and cold.

_There were more of them?!_

I thought Raki had killed them yesterday. But there was one right in front of me, above.

 _What was I to do?!_ Raki had struggled with them, they had even managed to tackle him! And he was huge!

I- I had to run, it was my only chance, but it blocked my way back to the cave. They were fast, so I had to run the other way.

I turned and sat off as fast as I could running past the trees. I could hear the monster snarling and the thumps behind me.

_Was it leaping from tree to tree?!_

Maybe if I made it to the creek it couldn’t get me in the water. _There was a reason Raki had thrown me in, right?!_

_Just keep running!_

Maybe I could outrun it! My chances were low though, I saw as the creature landed almost in front of me.

_Crap-!_

Not stopping I skipped a bit in the grass and turned to run to the right.

Just as I thought; _I can't keep this up!_ I saw something up ahead! It looked like a small shack!

I sprinted into it, slamming the door behind me. Breathing rabidly. _I should be safe in here, right?_ At least for a while… Maybe the shell monster would go away if it couldn’t see me?

I sat down curled up in a corner of the one room, trying to get my breathing under control again. The place looked old, but not like it was broken or rotting.

I took deep breaths hoping to calm down.

_Just calm down…_

Then the banging started. _It was trying to break the door down!_ It was screaming loudly again too. I covered my ears, shaking. I could see splinters flying from the door.

_Raki, please help me!_

Then the door broke down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Raki is a Greek/Turkish alkohol but I just thought the name fit this strange Yautja ;P
> 
> Comments and feedback are always welcome because they make my week! :D
> 
> Also... on a serious note, the entire world is crazy right now... but stay strong and stay safe everyone.
> 
> Until next time!


	8. Careless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand back at it again with a new chapter!  
> I had hoped to upload this one sooner, but I just hadn't had the time to write at all, as I had a lot more work hours than expected... but oh well 
> 
> Enjoy!

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

 _Pauk_ , I thought to myself, carrying Nita back to the cave.

I really was getting too careless. I should have seen an attack coming from miles away, sitting out in the open like that. Nita had wanted to stay, which was fine. But I should have kept watch for dangers instead of watching the pup. Nita had gotten hurt because of that, I almost growled at myself but kept at purring. The ooman would be fine, it wasn’t a serious wound. They seemed more surprised by it than hurt, which was good.

I would have to set up more traps in the area, at least to alert us any dangers. If more were roaming around, they had to be killed before long. I could only hope they were stragglers, like those from before I had sealed their hive entrances. _If some had managed to get out-_

I didn’t know what I would do. I couldn’t do it alone at least.

“Hurt?”, I softly purred to them. Hoping that they would understand I asked if the wound was hurting a lot. Not many survived after their skin had been directly exposed to that serpent’s acid. The pup had been incredibly lucky it had been so little. _I should still have been more careful…_

I grew worried then no response came. They didn’t even ask what I said if they didn’t understand. When Nita didn’t understand, the pup would ask for me to explain or repeat what I meant. But they should have understood that word.

I looked down at the tiny form in my arms. Surprised that the ooman had closed their eyes. Was… Was the pup sleeping?

While I carried them?

 _Huh… oddly flattering_ , remembering they hadn’t trusted me at all only a few days ago. Not that I blamed the pup.

But still… this was a big step.

I gently pressed the small pup a little closer, continued with my purring, hoping to comfort them in their sleep at least a little.

The poor pup had seen more fights and death the last few days than I had when I had been their age. _If_ ageing worked the same for oomans and Yautja. It was no wonder if the small ooman was exhausted.

The only one they had, right now, was me. _A killer._

Careful not to disturb the sleeping pup, I put them down on the bundle of cloth they'd decided to sleep on in the cave.

I shifted my focus on the wound, while not fatal currently, it would have to be treated now or it could become very fatal. I didn’t know how the ooman body would react to my people’s medical treatment, but it was a chance I had to take.

Getting my Medi-comp open, I sat by the pup’s legs for the best access. It wasn’t bleeding anymore, which was the most important part. All I had to do was speed up the healing progress.

The blue vial, along with a bandage should do the trick, after disinfecting of course.

After cleaning and disinfecting the wound with no trouble, I poured a small amount of the blue liquid on the cut. Nita squirmed a bit with a whimper but stayed asleep. _So far so good_ , I thought to myself. Then I dressed the pup’s ankle with a clean rag tightly, but not painfully so.

I took a closer look at the small form once again, shifting between the vision spectres I had access to. I had to be sure there was no further damage, checking if I had missed anything. If the acidic blood was fatal for oomans in itself…

I hesitated while checking the pup, _had I seen that correctly…?_

Nita was female? No doubt about it, she was a definitely female if what I'd learned about oomans was true. I hadn’t been too sure since most pups, ooman pups, look similar, not that I had seen many, if any.

However, it was traditional for the female of the species to have longer hair though it wasn’t uncommon for the length to vary like tendrils in Yautja. Nita was apparently a short haired female pup.

 _Heh_ , I chuckled to myself. I should have known with how she handled this entire situation. Females were the stronger gender…

But by ooman standards the female was considered the weaker gender, most likely due to their smaller build and their males that naturally had more muscle.

However, from what I've heard it was almost always a female that came out on top, that survived being hunted by a failed Yautja hunter. I had even heard of 1 or 2 that had actually become blooded hunters, not just joining a clan or gaining respect.

Females of this species was severely underestimated by their own and Yautja alike. But that could be used to their advantage.

From what I’ve seen, Nitas mentality was above that of an ordinary pup, she would become a deadly hunter in the future should she wish it. My bearer would no doubt be interested in Nita had she been born on Yautja Prime.

After going back to the creek, cleaning the bodies away and getting my weapons. I walked back with the water as fast as possible, I ensured the fire would last a while.

I sat down by the wall opposite Nita so I could watch her should she need anything. She was completely fine except for the wound, but it seemed she hadn’t stirred since I poured the liquid on the wound.

I could feel myself getting tired, I hadn’t slept at all for the last week. I was exhausted too. I should just rest for a few minutes; we would be fine. The traps were up and working and Nita would wake me if she needed anything.

I must have nodded off to a deep sleep because when I awoke, the sun was low on the sky but rising, and I was alone.

_Nita was gone._

_What the Pauk?!_

_Where in the name of Paya had she gone?_ I had searched the entire cave as well as the small clearing outside. Had she gone into the forest?

Pauk. Pauk. _Pauk._

 _Alright Nrak…_ I thought myself. _Perhaps she had just gone to relieve herself? Oomans did that too, right?_ But I hadn’t picked up her presence or heat-signature by the forest line. Had she walked into the forest?

She was still hurt even with the healing substance… if she ran into trouble it was over. And I had been asleep. I hadn’t heard anything at all.

_What a hunter I am…_

_Push those thoughts away!_ I shook my head, this wasn’t the time, I had to find her. _If something happened…_

I ran into the forest. A part of me drew me to check the way we had walked yesterday, so I did. If I were lucky, Nita was simply curious about those serpents… _Hopefully_ , those 2 would have been the only ones in the area.

Not really paying attention besides trying to locate her, I almost slipped on something wet in the grass. I managed to catch myself before I thumped down. I looked down. _What the-?_

My breath came to a stop.

_M-di…_

There was something wet and sticky smashed into the grass and dirt.

_I had failed to protect her…_

_Wait._

_Hold on._

_Something wasn’t right._

I smelled the substance. It was a kind of fruit?

 _Not blood then, thank Paya,_ I breathed out. I looked around, scanning, plants holding more of this small fruits. If Nita had been here and this was what she was after, why would she just leave them on the ground?

_Unless…_

I almost immediately picked up a trail. R'ka saliva and crushed grass just a few feet away.

 _Oh m-di, this was bad, really bad..._ At least another Kainde Amedha had been in the area and had found Nita.

 _Good pup_ , I thought, she had tried to run even with her ankle hurt. But not even an experienced Elite could outrun a R'ka. If Nita wasn’t dead yet, she would be soon, and I hadn’t been there to keep her safe.

I started running in the direction of the tracks.

I paid more attention this time, I couldn’t afford to overlook anything. There were 2 slide marks in the grass up ahead. _Had she been caught?_

 _M-di_ , the pups trails continued in another direction, the larger one following the same way. I followed too. Full speed. I had to be close.

Nita had changed direction mid-run, _smart pup_.

An inhuman shriek came from up ahead.

_There! Paya, don’t let me be too late._

My hand went down for my extra knife only to find nothing. _Damn! I didn’t bring it with me!_

A small house come into my field of vision. The R'ka was slamming itself against the door at full force. Nita must have hidden in there. _Good, there might be a chance now!_ I was almost there. I could take it by surprise!

_Hang on a little longer!_

Just as I thought that the door broke and the serpent entered, a scream following.

 _I won’t let it!_ I continued full speed into the house slamming into the R'ka forcing it to hit the wall hard.

“Raki!”, Nita cried out from a corner in the small building. I turned to regard her, quickly looking her over for any wounds.

That was my second mistake, I realized.

The R’ka recovered faster than I anticipated, and I just had turned my back to it.

It ran into me from behind sending me flying into the opposite wall, wood cracking under the pressure. I fell and hit the floor with a loud thud.

“No!”, the pup screamed.

My vision was blurred, and I struggled to get up again. My head had been hit badly.

_Pull it together!_

I raised my head with trouble, shaking it, trying to clear my mind. I saw the serpent regarding both of us. Most likely deciding who to murder first.

I refused to let it choose. Forcing myself to get up, I pulled my shuriken out and activated it just before throwing it.

It must have predicted my move because at the same time it blocked my attack with a flick of its tail, my weapon flying into the wall besides the both of us, struck in the wood.

_C’jit!_

_Focus Nrak!_ I need a plan and fast. Fight the R'ka head on with only my ki'cti-pa or go for the shuriken in the wall, which could put both Nita and I at risk of getting attacked. I could only hope it would attack me first, as I was the biggest threat.

It would prove difficult to fight in such a small space only with my ki’chi-pa and not risk Nita getting between us. I had to go for the shuriken!

But first I needed to distract it long enough for me to get there. “Stay!”, I growled at Nita, who hopefully were still sitting behind me. I heard her breath hitch but no other reaction. I had to believe she understood, I had no time for confirmation.

Once again, I charged at the Kainde Amedha at full force. But this time it saw me coming. It must have braced itself for it caught me head-on with its front and arms.

 _Pauk!_ No time to rethink. I struggled to push the snarling serpent towards the splintered door.

It grabbed my arms and spun half a circle to shove me into the door frame, not having my footing I followed without a fight not expecting it.

Before it could pin me, I activated my wrist blades and slashed at the serpent’s head. It shrieked. I chuckled lowly, realizing I sliced deep into its right side of its head. Enough to bleed but not pulse nor to dissolve my blades. It staggered backwards giving me the opening I needed to get my shuriken.

I moved fast to the other wall and tore the blade out of the wood in one motion. Turning with haste when I heard Nita give a whimper, believing it to be a warning for me. Only for my world to almost stop.

My eyes widened under my mask.

_I had been wrong._

_It didn’t go after me first-_

The R'ka was stalking closer and closer to the pup, tail raised for the final strike. She was pressed into the wall as far as she could go, no change to escape.

_H’ko!_

My body moved before my head followed.

I roared in pain as the tail sliced the exposed part of my abdomen open on the left side. Blood splattering the wall behind me.

“ _Raki!_ ”, Nita screamed.

 _She was alive…_ my body had stopped the tails spike from killing her.

I could feel my blood ooze to the ground. _I couldn’t falter yet!_ The damn serpent was still alive.

Hissing, I grabbed the tail to hold the serpent in place. Activating my shuriken with my other hand. The beast must have understood as it tried to pull out of my grip. But before it could shoot its inner mouth out to pierce my arm, I raised my right hand as fast and with as much strength I had left.

The shuriken easily found its way into the middle of the serpents’ head. It gave a strangled shriek before going limp. Letting go of the R’ka, I pushed it aside to the floor letting my weapon fall with it.

I struggled to remain standing, swaying in place, hand on my open wound.

_This wasn’t good._

“Raki!”, Nita called from beside me. I forced myself to focus on her. She was trying to support my weight, small hands on my abdomen to keep me standing. “Y- you’re hurt!”, she cried, tears falling.

She was crying for me?

The murderer of her bearer and sire…

“No… cry…”, I tried to tell her, raising my hand to squeeze her shoulder, but I couldn’t seem to achieve it.

Darkness edged its way into the corners of my vision.

_Was this it?_

_There were worse ways to go, I suppose…_

Cetanu would claim me... I could only pray I was worthy of the hunting grounds... despite my crime...

A voice called my name again, it seemed so far away… I could recognize it…

The important part was that Nita was okay. Unharmed.

My legs gave out and I collapsed to the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might go back and edit this in the future then I get the time but I'll let you know if I do
> 
> As always, comments and feedback makes me happy! <3
> 
> And just FYI, the blue liquid is not the same as the liquid used by The City Hunter to start that fire to get healing-paste. I'm just not creative enough to invent a new color of healing... 
> 
> Translation:  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> Ooman = Human (slang)  
> Medi-comp = A bag of first-aid tools and medicine, easy to carry on a hunt  
> Paya = God/Goddes  
> R'ka = Xenomorps  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shell (Xenomorps)  
> C'jit = Shit  
> M-di = No  
> Ki'chi-pa = Wrist-blades  
> Cetanu = God of Death  
> H'ko = No


	9. On The Brink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, long time no see...
> 
> Sorry for the delay of this chapter, I had truly hoped this would be out sooner. But my personal life got in the way, and I honestly haven't been feeling great nor had the mind to write.  
> Not to mention my pc decided to give up on me last week so I had to get a new one, and me being me couldn't remember or find my passwords for my email and my accounts... -.-
> 
> But I'm back now and hope to keep it that way, with my 2-week schedule.

Nita´s POV

* * *

I stumbled backwards as Raki fell to the floor. Blood staining the wood.

It must be blood, _his blood_ , even if it was green.

“Raki?!”, I yelled. I shook his arm. ”Get up! Come on!”. He seemed to stir a bit, a low clicking came from him but I couldn’t understand it.

_He had jumped in front of me…_

_He had saved me…_

_Again…_

I clenched my teeth. _No more!_

“Not you too!”, I yelled at him. “You need to get up!”. I grabbed at his arm again, trying with all my might to pull him up. He seemed to follow a bit, almost getting up on his hands and knees.

“Please!”, I cried. “We have to get back to the cave!”. He was shaking.

_No- no!_

“I need you to be alive! I need to hear what happened!”, I shouted at him. “If it was really you or- or one of them who- If you were there to save them!”.

_What if there had been a black shell monster back there, with my mom and dad… and I just hadn’t seen it…_

Raki was almost at a kneeling position now. He was still making those clicking noises, but I was sure I hadn’t heard them before. He seemed like he wasn’t entirely there… _Maybe he was in some kind of shock?_ Like I had learned about in first-aid training. But I couldn’t let him lie on the floor, I couldn’t call for help.

_I had to do this myself._

“Plea- please don’t die, Raki!”, I cried. “I already lost my mama and papa, my br-“, I hiccupped. “My mom and dad, my uncles and aunt! I can’t lose anyone else!”. I pulled him up as hard as I could. “Come on!”. He was barely standing, leaning over in pain. “Raki?”, I called to him. No answer.

It was as much as he could do currently. I pushed and pulled at him to get out of the door.

He allowed himself to be led by me, struggling to keep himself up. His right arm over my shoulder, just to support. There wasn’t really any weight there. He must’ve been somewhat conscious, or he might have crushed me.

It was a struggle to get him back to the cave. We fell multiple times, where had to get him up again. He limped and stumbled all the way too. Thankfully, we got to the cave without another monster finding us.

The moment we were back, he dropped face first to the ground, not moving or making a sound. I fell to my hands and knees too, breathing heavy, exhausted and shaking.

I stared at him, looking for any movement but none came. “Raki?”, I exhaled. _Was he still breathing?_ I crawled to him, listening. A slight shifting by his chest, he was still alive.

_Thank the gods._

I shook him again. “You need to wake up! Tell me what to do!”, he didn’t stir.

_Calm down, Nita._

I looked to his wound; it was still bleeding, though not as much as before. I closed my eyes and took some breaths to calm myself and focus.

_He is bleeding, so stop the flow._

I grabbed the closest shirt and pressed it onto the opening with both my hands. Staining it green immediately.

It’s too big for just this shirt…!

I needed to close it with something… _somehow…_

Maybe his pelt-pack had something that could help? I looked around the cave from where I was sitting.

_There!_

Releasing my hold briefly, I crawled to the caves other side and I dragged it back.

Returning to my former position I grabbed another shirt and placed it over the other, pressing both against him with my knee, so I could use both my hands for the bag.

There were tools and other stuff I didn’t recognize. _There must be something... come on… come on…_

There were a few small vials of a kind, picking one up I saw there was a blue liquid inside.

Could this be what Raki had healed my ankle with? It did look like it had been used recently…

_I had to try!_

I opened it, pouring some on a shirt and pressing that against the open wound instead of the other bloodstained ones. Raki tensed and growled lowly but otherwise stayed still.

“Are you awake?”, I whispered. Still no answer.

Pulling the blanket, I used to cover myself with at night over. I struggeled with getting it under him but somehow managed to, then I tied it around his stomach to cover the wound and keep the shirts pressed against it. I watched it for a while, checking if it bled through and if Raki still breathed. It seemed as it worked, so far at least.

“I’m sorry”, I said to him. “I should have- you got hurt because of me…”.

I was so tired; I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I felt myself sag to the stone floor, laying not too far from Raki.

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

 _“What's going on?!”._ The voice was far away.

_“We are going down hard! Who the pauk checked the ship?!”._

This had happened before, hadn’t it?

_“The Elites! They had to make sure everything was in order since this is no ordinary Chiva!”._

I remember this… I had helped…

_“I can barely pilot this! Hang on to something!”._

We hadn’t gotten hurt during the crash… right? We had managed to control the situation.

I could feel I was awake and yet…

_“C'jit! They are already here!”._

They were waiting for us.

_“Put on your helmet, Nrak’ytara!”._

They had attacked the moment our door was open.

All I could see was darkness, all I could hear was blurry voices from back then…

_“They're in the pilot room!”._

They had taken us by surprise, overrun the ship.

I could still feel my body… I was walking?

_“Pauk! They tore the controls apart!”._

All we had to rely on was our gauntlets, supplies and weapons.

_“The mission must go on”._

No… I was laying down?

_Get up!_

Another voice?

_I need to know!_

I recognize it… But not from back then…

_Please!_

Nita?

_Raki?_

Nita! She was in danger!

I’d sworn to protect her! _Wake up!_

I came to slowly… _not a good thing_. I willed myself awake. I felt myself move slightly before I saw anything.

When I finally opened my eyes, I saw stone. Not wood.

_What-?_

I was laying down face first on the cold stone floor, something soft but annoying pressed op into my stomach. It was tight too? All around my torso…

 _The R'ka…_ I suddenly remembered.

I jerked to get up, only to collapse back down with a hiss as pain shot through my body.

The wound… I had thought it was my final…

I turned to lay on my side and looked to the area. It was tied with a blanket…

 _Why…? How did I get back to the cave?_ I looked in front of me, suddenly hearing soft breathing.

_Nita…_

She was laying close, almost in front of me, sleeping. How didn’t I see earlier?

_She was alive… She was okay…_

Did she pull me back? Did she treat my wound?

She was sprawled out on the ground on her side, no rags covering her. If she pulled me back here, she must have collapsed out of pure exhaustion… poor pup.

_Stubborn too._

She had used her blanket to stop the bleeding, _smart_. I also saw she had gone through my Medi-comp; she had used the blue liquid. It was only good for minor cuts, not large wounds…

Well… I was alive with an open but bandaged wound; it must have worked somewhat. I would have to treat it better when I had the strength to move.

My eyes fell on Nita again. _Such determination…_

She had been terrified since I’d taken away her family. But she had still listened to me, started to trust me. She had hidden from the R’ka but she was hurt and still a pup. She had tried to help me however she could… She was alert, curious and cautious, fast to act and most of all headstrong. All good traits.

I could train her, teach her… if she agreed, she would become dangerous…

For now? Rest and heal.

I was close to her chosen sleeping spot, so I fought the pain to reach over and grab the largest cloth, pulling it over her.

I let myself relax and fall back into the darkness again.

Nita´s POV

* * *

I awoke with the sound of faint crackling, a heat on my back.

My head felt foggy and heavy. Maybe a sign I had slept for a long time.

I opened my eyes, feeling something heavy was on top of me.

_A jacket?_

_I had fallen asleep? I was supposed to watch Raki!_

I jerked to a sitting position.

He wasn’t where he’d collapsed. My eyes turned to his usual place by the wall.

He was there… half slumped, half sitting against the cave wall, his head bowed forward.

I wasn’t sure what to assume…I shifted to my knees, leaning forward slightly. “Raki?”, I whispered, voice trembling.

_Was he dead?_

His head shifted up in my direction. A brief feeling of relief along something else washed over me.

_He’s alive._

I almost felt like crying again but held back. His body shifted as to stand, but he seemed to decide against it after he winced hard, with a slight growl. He leaned back again. “Nii'tah”, he clicked.

My focus shifted to his wound. It was sealed now, it looked like it had been burned.

Did he burn himself to close it? Is that why a fire was roaring beside me? But there was a metal bowl beside him, remains of ash and a thick blue substance. Maybe something from his bag?

There was a heavy silence between us. Neither of us saying anything. I should apologize… it’s my fault he almost died.

Suddenly he turned his head like he usually does if he’s unsure.

“Saved… me”, he said roughly. I froze, my eyes widened.

 _I saved him_ … but I hadn’t… it had been because of me… if only I had stayed or said what I was going to do…

“It’s my fault!”, I began crying. “You-! This is my fault! I-!”.

He cut me off, “calm…”. I stopped, just staring at him.

“Not you fault… me bad hunter”, he shook his head slightly. “Dishonour”.

Slight realization dawned on me. It all began to make sense. He was a hunter, definitely not of this world. He was here for them.

_Aliens…_

“You’re not…”, I tried to tell him, without really thinking about it. “I shouldn’t have left without you…”.

His gaze turned my way again. He clicked then seemed to realize I didn’t understand and shook his head again. There were things he wanted to say but couldn’t.

“I’m sorry”, I said again, hot tears falling from my eyes.

He clicked followed by a few purrs before he stopped after another wince.

We fell silent again. The only sound was the fire and strange noises from animals far away in the night.

Raki broke the silence after what seemed like hours. “I remember… you ask, what?”.

“I don’t understand”, I responded. _I asked what?_

He seemed to think a few minutes for the right words. “Wa’ter, quest-ion…”, he said.

_Oh… He wanted to know what I was about to ask at the stream..._

I had to know what really happened. I shifted to sit down again, hugging my knees close. “That day… the day you found me…”, I started. He tensed, definitely understanding what I was about to ask.

I closed my eyes, my bottom lip trembling. “Did you… Were there any black monsters there?”.

_Please…_

“M-di…” he answered after a while. I felt like I shattered at his response.

“You killed them… didn’t you? It was you…”, my body shook, I pressed my eyes close tightly.

“Sei-i…”, he replied. “Regret”. His words surprised me; I opened my eyes wide to look at him. He was hanging his head like he was ashamed.

“Mistake…”, he clicked quietly. I felt empty… I didn’t know what to think.

_A mistake…_

But I had always known… I knew from the start. But something had stopped me from believing, and then the shell monsters appeared… I wanted to blame it on them.

_But now?_

Now I knew. Raki had told the truth. It was _him_.

Yet… I couldn’t find it in myself to fear him anymore, nor to hate him. _Why?_ I don’t know… All he had done was help me. I took a shaking breath. _Not like I haven’t been through something like this before, I just couldn’t remember._

I leaned my chin on my knees, eyes on the ground. “I forgive you…”.

Raki almost jerked his head to look at me, making a weird noise. Then he clicked something, I didn’t understand, leaning his head to the side again.

I sniffed, glancing up at him.

Another, less important, question entered my mind.

Raki wasn’t from here, he was an alien, hunting other aliens, perhaps. Did he look human?

“Raki?”, I asked after some minutes in silence.

“Sei-i”, he hesitantly replied.

“Can- can I see your face?”, I swallowed hard. Would he be offended?

He seemed taken aback by my words before shaking his head, _no_.

“M-di… Afraid”. He pointed to me.

I could never be afraid of Raki, not after how he’s helped me. Maybe his face was scarred?

“I won’t be… promise”, I stated.

He sighed, considering again before raising his clawed hands. He pulled on a tube, releasing a steam with a high pitch. Then took hold of both of the masks’ sides.

Then he lowered the mask, I was shocked. I gaped.

He was no human, but I already knew that I just thought he might have looked like one. Instead, his face was reptilian like the rest of him. It was a lighter colour than his brown-green body, greener too. By his mouth he had 2 short upper mandibles and 2 lower ones that were longer. All 4 had a sharp talon at the end. Beneath those were a set of sharp teeth. It didn’t seem like he had ears or a nose.

His forehead was way larger than a humans, it also looked like he had some kind of mark to the right of it. His thick dreadlocks began close to the back of his head. 

_His eyes…_

The area looked dark and sunken, but his eyes were a piercing orange with a hint of yellow. _Like fire_ , I thought. Despite the colour, his eyes almost made him seem human. I didn’t look away from his eyes. There was something soft in them, a kindness despite their appearance.

He was terrifying to look at. I gulped, my eyes wide. His mandibles were twitching slightly, like he was unsure. He still held his helmet tightly.

But he was still Raki.

He had just removed his mask, like I asked him to.

He hadn’t changed. He would never hurt me; he had never even tried to. In fact, he had helped me, protected me, then he didn’t have to. He’d gone out of this way to teach me how to survive. He saved me from those bad soldiers, he had put his life at risk more than once. Putting himself between those black demons that bled acid.

He’d apologized to me.

He was different, but he was my friend.

I was sure of it.

I nodded after a deep breath. “Thank you”. He blinked, looking surprised. Then he returned the nod, releasing his mask, leaving it in his lap.

“Nii’tah”, he clicked with his mandibles, _it looked strange…_

I hummed in reply.

“You weak pup…” he said.

_Huh?_

“You brave, you stronger. I train?”. I blinked, confused. _He thought I was weak but brave? And he wanted to train me to be stronger?_

“You want to train me? To hunt?”, I asked to be sure.

“Sei-i”, he almost sounded excited, his eyes bright.

I knew how to hold a gun and shoot. But Raki was right… if those monsters come back… I need to be stronger.

“Okay”, I said with determination. “When do we start?”, referring to his wound.

He didn’t seem to notice. “Tomorrow”, he simply clicked.

“Tomorrow-? But- what about your wound?” I asked him, worried. Sure, he was big, strong and _not human_ , but even he must heal and rest, right?

“Tomorrow” he simply repeated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not proud of this chapter so I plan to rewrite it sometime in the future.  
> Update (20/10/20): I've edited this chapter, but will most likely come back again XD
> 
> Next chapter will be a long "special", so I hope you guys will like it! 
> 
> Translation:  
> Chiva = Trial  
> C'jit = Shit  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> R'ka = Xenomorps (Slang)  
> M-di = No  
> Sei-i = Yes


	10. update

Hey guys

So apparently someone or something above us doesnt want me to post every 2 weeks ;-;

I would go into more details, but the short story is this time that Microsoft or Onedrive (which i use to save my works and others things) has glitched on my server. All my documents are missing.

That means my work, every note I've written is somewhere out there but I can't acces it currently... everything is gone... I have a few notes saved on my phone. But my next chapter, which was supposed to be a special on 3-4000+ words is currently lost.

I will try to recover everything or get it back by contacting Microsoft in the upcoming week.

If everything is truly gone, i will found another platform to write in and try to rewrite from memory... ;-;

I expected chapter 10 to be done by today and uploaded later tonight or tomorrow. But that wont happen...

Sorry guys...

Expect the upload withing the next week or 2.

I will do my best! :)


	11. Let The Chiva Begin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> I'm back with chapter 10 aka the special. I've gotten my Onedrive fixed and most of my documents back. But half of the chapter dissappeared completely. I have decided to spilt the chapter up as the last part isnt written yet.
> 
> This is kinda like a backstory for Nrak'ytara, and the events leading up to him meeting Nita.  
> Enjoy!

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

“The request the 3 of you have asked has been approved by The Ancient Council”, Elder Nagara said, standing before us. I was standing alongside Tarei’hsan and Bhu’ja. I straightened my posture, feeling like I had earned the right to be proud. “You 3 will no longer be Young-bloods after this Chiva, instead fully fledged hunters”.

“If they survive, that is…”, I heard a snort quietly from behind me, a hard smack following. “Enough Kujhade!”, Nagara lectured, with a flare of his mandibles, glaring behind us. “This is an honour passed on from our ancestors for those seeking the rite of passage! You are an Elite now and you will respect our traditions!”.

He really should learn to keep his words to himself even if he meant well or in jest. But I had known him all my life, he was like an older brother to me so I should know it was near impossible for him. “Yes, Elder!”, Kujhade replied. The elder sighed, mumbling something about damn Elites these days.

“It has come to our attention that there is a growing Kainde Amedha hive on the oomans home planet, Terra”, Elder Nagara explained. “It will be your mission to go there and deal with it. It is not yet large enough that it should concern those ranking above you, so it will be the perfect challenge. You have my permission to mark yourselves with our Clan name after your own first kill”.

_Perfect, this almost sounded too easy._

“The coordinates are sent directly to your ship from Elder Tbi”, Nagara informed. “This will be no ordinary Chiva as we have no records of ever placing R'ka eggs there, so we are unsure if there are sivk'va-tai awaiting you to aid your hunt”.

“However, your mission isn’t just to hunt for your rite of passage nor the mark. It will be a test of resolve and skill as well. I will expect you to either clean out the entire hive along with the queen. Or stop the spread of those serpents”, Nagara declared.

 _I wonder if this was if is about his_ _sentiment for oomans?_ “I have faith you 3 can handle the situation even as Young-bloods”, Nagara spoke. “You are all younger than average, but you are among the strongest I’ve trained, you all shown great progress and potential so I have no doubt this will go just fine”.

Nagara turned his eyes towards the one standing in the middle of our line. “Bhu'ja, you will act as the leader on this hunt, as you are the oldest of your group, and by request of your bearer”, he stated.

“I accept!”, Bhu’ja proclaimed, clearly proud. “Any objections?”, our leader looked between Tarei'hsan and I. _It wasn’t a question._ “No, Elder Nagara”, we both responded. “You will depart on a ship soon, be ready”. We all nodded.

Elder Nagara gestured with his hand and Bhu’ja stepped away to discuss the details with him.

“So, my little brother will finally become a Blooded hunter”, a voice clicked behind me. I turned, regarding both Elites who had been present during our briefing. “It has been a long time coming, Yeyin-sain'ja!”, Kujhade interrupted. “He has practically been boasting about how he was going to catch up to us, since he could walk!”. My brother and I paid him no mind. Yeyin-sain'ja stood tall and proud, like always. Now I finally had the chance to prove I was worthy of being his younger brother! I wouldn’t- couldn't let him down.

“I told you so and I won't fail”, I replied to my brother. “Good, I didn’t expect that either”, he said with a smile. “After all, when you return, I will appeal to become a Clan Leader. I expect you and our siblings to join my clan along with our closest brothers and sisters-in-arms”, he said proudly. Becoming a leader of his own clan had always been Yeyin-sain'ja's goal. All I wanted was to live up to his image, make his goal become a reality, that would be the greatest honour of my life. “We will make our ancestors proud”, I smiled back to him. I still had so much to catch up on, so much to learn and to do.

“And we will”, Yeyin-sain'ja assured. “Now, go and bring back some trophies for our collection!”, he commanded while chuckling. I smiled wider, “I will, just you wait and see. They will be the largest anyone in our family has ever brought back!”.

“Ohhh, you should watch your brother, Yeyin-sain'ja!”, Kujhade called. “He's got even more attitude than you did at his age!”, he laughed. “Well, look where that got me”, my brother voiced, glancing to the other Elite with a smirk.

“Alright, enough talk and jest!”, Nagara spoke up. “It's time to go, Nrak'ytara”, added Bhu'ja. I nodded to him.

“Remember what I told you, Nrak?”, my brother asked, voice hushed. “Always analyse the situation and watch the shadows”, I responded quietly. He nodded. “Make our name proud”, he said. I walked closer and we shared a brief chi'ytei.

I then turned around and followed Bhu'ja and Tarei'hsan onto our ship. We took off from the mothership shortly after that, course set for Terra.

I sat on a bed in the small sleeping courter, sharpening my knife.

Bhu’ja and Tarei’hsan were currently in the pilot room.

In a few minutes, we would enter the atmosphere, and our Chiva would truly begin.

Excitement flared all over my body. _I would finally become blooded!_ Being impatient as I am, my brother had pushed for our Chiva to be earlier than expected. We were supposed to go in a few years. However, Nagara had agreed we were ready. He had trained us harder than most for the last 2 cycles.

But we didn’t complain, this is more than we all wanted.

_Any second now._

I sheathed my blade and put on my gauntlets after checking they were working at full capacity.

This would be easy. Just in and kill the serpents and their queen, take trophies, block the entrance and head home again. Should be child’s play.

The only thing that worried me, _just slightly_ , was the queen. I had never seen one but the stories…

I had no doubt that she was strong. _But between the 3 of us?_ She wouldn’t stand a chance.

I rose just as a quake ran through the ship.

_What the-?_

Entering an atmosphere shouldn’t be that bad?

I took a step forward but had to stop and steady myself as the ship rocked hard.

_Something is wrong!_

I hit the key to open the slide door and ran for the others.

“What's going on?!”, I yelled as I entered the pilot room.

“We are going down hard!”, growled Bhu’ja as he gripped the pilot stick hard, trying to keep the ship in control. “Who the pauk checked this ship beforehand?!”.

I had… Well, supervised by my brother and Kujhade. They checked everything over afterwards, it had been long before our briefing.

“The Elites and I!”, I sneered as I stumbled into the doorframe after another shake. “They had to make sure everything was in order since this is no ordinary Chiva!”.

“It doesn’t matter who!”, Tarei’hsan clicked. “I’m contacting the Mothership!”, he started to pull away from the seat he had supported himself on.

“ _Don’t!_ ”, Bhu’ja called over his shoulder. “There’s no time! I can barely pilot this! Hang on to something!”.

He was right, the ground was coming close and fast.

Tarei’hsan gripped the seat again and held tight.

I hastened over and took hold of the other seat.

“Impact-!”, was the last thing I heard before we hit the ground.

**_CRASH!_ **

“-ak! Nrak!”, I opened my eyes to find Bhu’ja above me, I laid on the floor. “Thank Paya…”, he sighed.

He stepped back and extended a hand to me. I grabbed it and pulled myself up.

“Feeling right?”, he asked, tilting his head to the side and giving my body a glance over.

“Just fine”, I answered, nothing felt wrong. He nodded.

“Where’s Tarei?”, I asked, looking around the room for him.

“He’s fine too”, the white coloured hunter answered. “He’s working to get the entryway open. Pauk-de thing must have jammed shut after the collision”.

The ship was dark, all lights out. If the exist was jammed… we must have hit the ground pretty hard. The natives of this planet would soon become curious and come looking. There was no way nobody hadn’t heard this. We would have to move fast.

“Heh, I can’t believe we survived that”, I tried to make light of our dilemma.

Bhu’ja turned to head out the pilot door, gesturing for me to follow. “Of course, we survived. I’m an awesome pilot”, his tone was light.

I snorted.

“How is it going, Tarei?”, Bhu’ja asked as we stopped before the exist. Tarei’hsan was kneeling before an open panel close to the floor, it led to the wires connecting to the door.

He grunted as he shifted to face us. “Doesn’t seem to be the tech that’s broken”, he replied with a nod to me, acknowledging my presence, I replied in kind. “My guess is that the door is pressed against something we crashed into. And that’s what jammed the door”.

Bhu’ja hummed with a frown. “Which means our exit is blocked, we won’t be able to simply walk out. C’jit”.

“Unless we force the door open”, I pointed out. The others looked to me. “How do you propose we do that?”, Tarei asked, brows furrowed.

I was about to respond when Bhu’ja voiced. “That could actually work, Nrak”, he stepped closer to the door. “Tarei, have you tried to overload the panel door?”.

“Mo…”, Tarei answered, he must not have thought of that. “But it won’t work if there is a rock halfway through our door”, he stated. Bhu’ja gestured to the door. “I don’t see one and there’s only one way to find out. Get to it”. The red hunter rose and turned to the main panel, “right”.

Bhu’ja nodded to me. “Stay here. I’ll go get our helmets and supplies. We need to move as soon as the door is open. I don’t wish to spend a minute here longer than we have to”.

I nodded back. “Me neither”.

A few minutes later, Bhu’ja had returned with our supplies, helmets and a few light-weight weapons. All we had to do was put our helmets on as soon as the is open and move out.

“Nrak, you have the coordinates, right?”, Tarei asked. “Sei-i”, I answered. “It’s close”.

“Good, I’m almost done”, he said, connecting the last 2 wires and closing the panel. “Here we go, 3-2-1”, he pushed the button.

“Good”, Bhu’ja exhaled as the door creaked and started to open. “Heh, no stones”.

I started to put my mask to put it on as the others connected their tubes to the air filtration. The oxygen on Terra weren’t that different to ours, but it didn’t have the natural nitrogen nor as much oxygen we need to go without. Not to mention our visors helping in our hunt.

I didn’t succeed in placing my helmet on as it was knocked out of my hands.

I grunted as I landed on the floor; I was about to roar at Tarei for pushing me. It was something he used to do during training if he wanted to do first. But as I raised my head, my eyes widened.

Tarei was standing close to a Kainde Amedha which’s tail was right where I had stood before, his arm pointed in my direction. It shrieked out loud. _Paya it was loud_ -

4 more came forth from the door.

“C'jit! They are already here!”, growled Tarei’hsan releasing his ki'cti-pa, already going head to head with an attacking serpent.

_Get up!_

_Where Kainde Amedha supposed to be this size?_

_I-_

“Put on your helmet, Nrak’ytara!”, Bhu’ja roared, pushing a R’ka off him and slashed at another with his knife.

 _C’jit!_ I rolled towards my helmet as a R’ka jumped at where I had laid before.

I grabbed it and put it on as quickly as possible while staying away from attacks.

_Calm down, analyse, act._

_5 R'ka._

This was not training. This was a real hunt.

One wrong move and I’ll die… No one would call for it to stop…

 _If they survive, that is…_ That was what Kujhade had said.

_But I will! The others will too!_

_I refuse to be afraid to die, but if I do die? It will be while hunting, with honour. I had been training for this my entire life._

_It’s time to prove that!_

I dodged the charging R’ka by taking a step to the right.

Releasing my ki’cti-pa, I managed to give a long cut along its side at the same time.

It roared in pain; the wound not nearly open enough to bleed so it wasn’t enough to damage anything by its acid just yet.

I shifted and glanced to the others without turning away from my prey.

Bhu’ja had managed to kill one, which was dead on the floor. He quickly came to Tarei’s aid as he had been cornered by the 2nd.

_4 R'ka alive._

The serpent hissed at me, liquid dripping from its mouth. _It was disgusting._

These Kainde Amedha really were just as vile and dangerous as we were told.

I gave a challenging growl, trying to beckon it towards me.

It seemed to work as it sat off in full speed aiming for me.

I stepped aside, causing it to run into the wall.

Placing my arms and legs in a defensive stance, I contemplated on my next move.

My brother had once told me; _You learn to fight and survive while training. But the real hunt is different. You cannot think like you usually do. Your prey will be unpredictable, so be ready for anything. Let your instincts lead your actions._

He was right. I just had to move and survive. _Analyse and act. Do not overthink._

The R’ka sneered as it turned around. I took a deep breath. _Calm._

I raised my right arm as it shot towards me.

Once again, I sidestepped while bringing my hand down hard, my ki’cti-pa aimed at the ground.

It met resistance halfway there before I heard the sound of the blade penetrating hard flesh.

My blades had impaled the serpent through the neck, just below the head. It had fallen to the floor and almost in trance I'd moved to sit on its back, my feet planted on its forearms.

For a second, I was frozen, unbelieving of what I had done. _Never freeze in a fight. If so, you are dead._ Tbi’s voice almost echoed in my mind.

Screeching came from the serpent as it struggled to release itself and face me again. But currently, I controlled most of its body. _Except…_

_Except the tail-!_

Still keeping my position on its back with my right hand to its neck, I half turned just in time to see the tail dash towards my back.

Time seemed to slow at it came for me. My left hand came up to automatically to cover my vulnerable place in my awu-asa. Almost blindly, I foolishly grabbed at it just by instinct to keep it from stabbing me. To my surprise it worked! Somehow, I managed to grab the tail close enough at the end to keep from hurting me.

_No time to waste!_

I twisted my hand in a circling motion. Hoping my blade would reach its brain. I pressed my body hard against the creature to keep it pinned. Tightening my grip on its tail with my left hand.

So far, there were no acid blood, thankfully.

It screamed and writhed under me as I seemed to reach my destinated spot. It gave a half-hearted cry before it went still. I pulled my ki’cti-pa out of my prey, a strange liquid seeping out, though it didn’t seem to be acidic.

I rose and took a few steps backwards, staring at the R’ka.

_I did it. I had killed my first real prey!_

But this was no time to celebrate. _Not yet._ There still was a hunt ongoing.

I turned around, suddenly completely alert once again, as I heard a thump behind me.

Bhu’ja and Tarei’hsan had killed the one attacking them. They rotated to face me.

That meant 3 R’ka dead and the 2 others-

I stopped in my steps towards my comrades.

The 2 remaining Kainde Amedha were nowhere to be seen. The others seemed to realize too, suddenly tensing.

“To me!”, Bhu’ja commanded without hesitating.

We all moved to the middle of the room, our backs to each other. All of us in defensive position, arms raised.

My eyes scanned the room with hints and help from my visor.

_Nothing._

Not even above.

“What the pauk?”, I breathed out.

Tarei relaxed his body a little and asked, “Did they run?”.

Bhu’ja shifted his body too. “Somethings not right. They wouldn’t do that…”, he wondered out loud, still searching the room.

I had heard alarming stories of hunting parties that had been ambushed in their own ships by R’ka on their way home after a few had snuck onboard and actually laid eggs while the hunters were out of their ships. But this was different. We had all 3 been here, we hadn’t heard any sounds of them breaking into the walls.

Yet we had lost track of 2 Kainde Amedha.

Sounds of scraping on metal suddenly rang through the ship.

_They're still here-_

“Find them!”, Bhu’ja growled, running down the hall.

Tarei and I followed him.

All 3 of us moved through the ship as quickly as possible, yet the Kainde Amedha weren’t anywhere we searched so far. The sound of metal and scratching got louder.

Bhu'ja seemed more frustrated as we searched. We had only been looking a few minutes, but every second counted at this moment and we couldn’t afford to overlook anything.

As Tarei’hsan opened the door to the small seemingly empty kehrite, realization dawned on me.

“They're in the pilot room!”, I shouted to the others. _They couldn’t possibly be any other place on the ship, right?_ I grabbed a spear and sat off towards the pilot room, the others followed.

My arm was grabbed stopping me in my tracks. I turned ready to fight before I saw it was Bhu’ja.

“Don’t be reckless...”, he said. “I’ll take lead, Tarei’hsan and you will stand on each side of the entrance”. Tarei nodded. “I will enter first; you 2 will be right behind me. If they are in there… We have to be ready, the extent of our combat range will be small”. He looked to both of us. Now I could really see the praise he used to get for being a natural leader. His bearer and Elder Nagara had been right to commend him as Chiva Leader. “Understood?”.

Both Tarei and I nodded with a; sei-i.

“Let’s go”, he said.

Tarei and I placed ourselves on each side of the entrance to the pilot room, Bhu’ja stood in front of it.

There was no doubt they were in there anymore. _The sounds._ Metal screaking and occasional faint hissing. _What are they doing?_

The pale hunter readied his gauntlet and pointed it at the door. Then he gave a nod.

Tarei slapped his fist on the door panel and it opened.

Immediately Bhu’ja fired his t’gou u’linja on a Kainde Amedha, successfully pinning it against the wall.

“Move!”, our leader yelled.

He and Tarei ran for the free R’ka, while I advanced to the captured one.

I aimed my spear right at its chest. It struggled against the tightening thin metal wires, acidic blood starting to seep out of its breaking black armour. My eyes widened as I saw the coils begin to hiss then they started to dematerialize.

_The net would break and the R'ka escape before the lines would kill the prey!_

I plunged the spear into the serpent’s chest, green acidic blood oozed out of the prey. It gave a wail before going limp against its restraints and then falling to the ground in pieces. I tossed the sizzling spear at the corpse, there were no saving it.

I breathed out and rotated to the others, seeing the last R’ka dead on the floor, a chakt-ra in its skull.

Bhu’ja tensed as he scanned the room. “Pauk! They tore the controls apart!”.

Tarei and I turned to look over at the pilot panel. Everything was broken and scratched up.

_What in the name of Paya…?_

“It can’t be…”, Tarei exclaimed, like he couldn’t believe what he saw. “Never have I ever heard of anything like this…”, he spoke after a few moments of silence. He sped over to check the panel over.

“Something is really not right about this Chiva”, Bhu’ja voiced. “Everything seems too… unusual… Nrak?”, he asked.

Bhu’ja was the oldest among his siblings, which meant he’d only heard stories from our clan members and the Elites. They _always_ added a few details. If anyone knew about Chiva’s and what they contained, it was me. Tarei only had one older brother, but he had fallen during his Chiva.

I thought for a bit as Bhu’ja waited for my response and the red hunter tried to do what he could for the pilot panel.

“You’re right… Elder Nagara said this wasn’t an ordinary Chiva, yet something is off”, I said to the others. “Everything seems to hinder our success. The ship, the R’ka being ready for us and then running straight to the pilot room to tear it apart”, I spoke. “This is unheard of”.

“R’ka cannot be controlled… right?”, our leader asked.

Tarei slammed his fist down on the panel. “ _Pauk-de Kainde Amedha_!”, he swore, followed by another string of curses. He took a deep breath and calmer he replied. “No, it is near impossible. Our predecessors have tried for eons with no achievement. They are mindless mar’cte’s”, he snared, eyes burning with raging hunger for vengeance. “Who would even bother trying?”.

“Can the controls be salvaged?”, Bhu’ja changed topic, shifting towards the red yautja.

He hung his head with a slight shake. “Not as far as I can see. Even the communication is down. Maybe if I have more time…”.

Our leader nodded. “Then we will get more time. But not now… Tarei get a bag and pack supplies for 3 spans. Nrak, you go prepare all the weapons we can carry”, he commanded. “Then we will head out in 20 minutes”.

We nodded in understanding and started our assigned task.

“The mission must go on”, Bhu’ja said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: Since I've lost a few documents inc. the last part of chapter 10, I need more time to rewrite it again, but the first part is complete.  
> I will spend the next 2-3 weeks writing the upcoming chapters, but perhaps i'll upload sooner if they're ready then.  
> I have also accepted more responsibility at my workplace, which means more hours, but I'll take it as it comes :)
> 
> P.S - If i dont interact over the weekend, it's because I'm house/dog sitting in the other side of my country.  
> Leave a comment to let me know what you think! :D (Also if you spot a mistake or something)
> 
> Translation:  
> Nagara = Sword  
> Tarei'hsan = Scorpion  
> Bhu'ja = Ghost/Spirit  
> Chiva = Trial  
> Kujhade = Destroyer  
> Tbi = Survivor  
> R'ka = Xenomorph  
> Kainde Amedha = Xenomorph  
> Sivk'va-tai = Shoulder Cannon  
> Yeyin-sain'ja = Brave Warrior  
> Chi'ytei = Embrace/Hug  
> Terra = Latin word for Earth  
> Cycle = Year  
> Paya = God/Goddes  
> Mo = No  
> C'jit = Shit  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> Ki'chi-pa = Wristblades  
> kehrite = Dojo/Training Chamber  
> T'gou U'linja = Net Gun  
> Chakt-ra = Hunting Disk  
> Pauk-de = Fucking  
> Mar'cte = Killer  
> Span = Day (24 hours)


	12. Let The Chiva End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand the second part of the special is finally out, yay!
> 
> And with a total count of 8000+ words! 
> 
> I have some news at the end of the chapter, please read :)

Nrak'ytara´s POV

* * *

Strapping my knife to the side of my leg, I nodded to my Chiva brothers. “I’m ready”.

“Let’s end this then”, Tarei said impatiently, securing a sack of supplies to himself.

“I agree”, included Bhu’ja. “But first…”, he unsheathed his own blade, holding it out in front of himself for us to see. “We all had our first kill. We have permission to mark ourselves. I say we do it now and complete the rest of our Chiva as Blooded hunters”.

I shifted in place, glancing to Tarei. It wasn’t disobeying an order by marking ourselves now, since we _had_ killed our first R’ka. But our Chiva hadn’t really started yet, not truly. The red hunter seemed on edge too.

“Isn’t that bending of our code?”, Tarei spoke up. “I mean, technically we aren’t even at our Chiva’s coordinates yet…”. His head turned to the Kainde Amedha lying on the floor. Our leader lowered the knife.

“We will not break any laws if we make our claim now. I do not suggest _desertion_ ” his tone was serious. “I still see to complete our Chiva. Do not misinterpret my words!”, he hissed in defence.

“We aren’t, Bhu’ja”, I spoke, calmly raising a hand. “I think we should do this as well”, I turned to Tarei. “There’s no reason not to. We will still receive our mark anyhow, right?”.

“Right…” he agreed with an uncertain voice. He had always been one to follow our laws to the letter, going astray is what got his brother killed. _At least that’s how the story goes._

Bhu’ja stepped over to a corpse and kneeled. Tarei shifted, clearly still unsure. “You do not have to mark yourself yet if you want to wait”, Bhu’ja said looking up at us.

I walked forward, “I am ready”. The white hunter nodded and placed the knife at a joint by one of its claws. Slicing through it, the digit was no longer attached it the body.

“Take it”, he held it out to me. I stepped over close to him and took the claw from his hand. Bhu’ja immediately cut off 2 more. He stood up again. He held one out for Tarei as well. “Are you sure?”.

Tarei huffed and shook his head as to clear it. “ _To Cetanu with it…_ ”, he mumbled, marching over and grabbed it.

We took off our helmets and marked a spot of our own choice on the forehead of the tool. The metal sizzling as the acid burned the sigil of our clan.

A moment of silence between us as we looked to each other the last time as young bloods. It felt both exciting yet strange too. It was almost unbelievable that we had each killed our first R’ka as young as we were.

I raised my hand with the digit towards my forehead, the others following suit. My flesh seethed as the acidic blood touched my skin, I growled in pain as I burned the T’sha’re-clan mark into me. My comrades too gave distressed noises due to the pain.

 _Damn… it didn’t believe it would hurt this bad._ But it was a reminder to never get sprayed with blood of a Kainde Amedha. I pity those who die such agonizing deaths.

I lowered my hand as I finished and breathed out to stay calm. Then I tied the digit to my belt with a thin string, my own first little trophy, for now at least. When we returned to the ship, we would have a queen’s skull and dozens of R’ka’s.

_Brother, Kujhade… I will not let you down! My promise is not to be broken!_

Tarei’hsan and Bhu’ja tied their claw to their belts as well. “Let’s head out”, our leader stated.

I stepped out of the tree’s shadows. “This should be the place”. My brothers walked to stand on each side of me. We were all cloaked so should there be natives close by, we wouldn’t alert them.

“A cave?”, Tarei buzzed. “What did you expect so close to civilization? A pyramid?”, I joked.

He gave a snort. “Well… for a fact, sei-i. It is actually a thing there on Terra”, he played smart.

I rolled my eyes, “I’m aware, thank you. But usually the pyramids are far from ooman communities or at least underground”.

Tarei hit me on my arm without any real force. “Idiot! Are you blind?! A cave usually leads underground!”, he uttered, rocking my shoulder back and forth.

I shook him off. “Do you see any signs this could be a one of our monuments!”, I hissed right back at him. I heard Bhu’ja give a sigh beside me.

Tarei took a moment to glance around. “Mo…”, he voiced quietly.

“Are you done being pups for the minute?” our leader asked. I smirked as Tarei grumbled. He hated being wrong but even more so of being called out.

“Elder Nagara said The Ancient Council has no records of this place yet there is activity of Kainde Amedha. However, the records of our ancestor’s presence here could have been lost to time”, Bhu’ja reasoned. “What this is, is for us to figure out. But if one of you is right, I will give you one of the skulls I'll soon take”.

“Uhhh, a bet”, I chuckled. “I will win, no doubt about it”.

“You don’t know that yet!”, the red hunter sneered. Betting always made his blood boil, no matter how pointless they were. “I say it’s an underground pyramid form our ancestors, I know it!”

Bhu’ja walked towards the entrance of the cave. “We’ll see…”, he simply chuckled.

“Stay cloaked”, Bhu’ja ordered as we ventured deep into the cave’s darkness. The red hunter and I gave a grunt in confirmation. All of us could see this were not a natural cave yet the signs that this was one of our creations still lacked.

We hadn’t come across any leftovers of Kainde Amedha hive sacs either. But I guess we would if we went deeper.

“It’s too quiet…”, Tarei clicked silently. “Be alert”. He turned to watch the hall behind us while walking backwards, still keeping pace.

I held my snide comment back. This wasn’t the time or place to joke and start something. We shouldn’t expect the R’ka to be loud or easy to find. They were predators like us. They were bred to hunt and kill. Even through this was their hive, didn’t change that fact.

“Hold up”, our leader suddenly said with a halt. I stopped right behind him.

“What’s wrong?”, Tarei asked, turning again. Then I saw it. The beginning of slime and markings of the Kainde Amedha. But the path ahead of us split into 2 ways, both clearly inhabited by the disgusting creatures.

I took another step forward, “How do you want to go about this?”, I asked the hunter in front of me.

He took a moment to think. “We are not spitting up, that’s out of the question”, he said out loud. Tarei gave a relieved sigh behind me. Bhu’ja was right, splitting up in a place like this when we didn’t know what we truly were up against was a death sentence. “But…”, he continued. He seemed to consider his thoughts for a while. “Wait here, I’m going left”.

“What are you thinking?! Are you insane?!”, Tarei growled stepping forward. “Maybe…”, Bhu’ja clicked. “I have a hunch about something, I need to figure it out…”. I frowned, what was he on about?

“You just said-! Care to let us in on it?”, Tarei’hsan asked, uncertainty in his voice. “If I’m not back in 10 minutes, take the other path”, he simply said and started heading down the left way.

“And leave you in there to die?”, I asked. “Just stay put”, was the only response, his form disappearing in the shadows.

“Unbelievable…”, Tarei breathed. “What the pauk is going through that thick skull of his?”. I kept starring down the way our leader went. “I have no clue”, I replied, just as confused.

“How long as it been?”, I asked, leaning on the stone wall. Tarei stopped pacing for a second to reply, “8 minutes”, then resumed. I sighed. _What in the name of Cetanu was that bastard thinking?!_

“ _I swear to Paya, if he’s not coming back, I will kill-_ “. A tremble through the cave interrupted Tarei’s rant. “What the pauk?”, I questioned.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I was about to head down the left path, intense heat touched my skin. _Fire?_

 _An explosion!_ I quickly grasped. “ _By Cetanus mercy…_ ”, I uttered. The left path was growling lighter and lighter.

“ _Get down!_ ”, Bhu’ja roared as he sprinted towards us. I let myself fall to the stones. Tarei following suit. I looked up to see Bhu’ja throwing himself down as the intense heat and flames passed us, blinding us for the minute.

It took me a long second to realize it was over as fast as it had reached us. “Alright, let’s move on”, Bhu’ja stated, rising again.

Tarei moved to get up faster than I’ve ever seen and grabbed Bhu’ja by his shoulders pushing him against the cave walls. “ _What the pauk were you doing?!_ ”, he sneered. Bhu’ja let himself be pinned against the stones. He could easily get out of the hold if he wanted but he stayed put.

I got up as well, frowning at the others. “I saw another entrance to the left of the one we entered, while we were outside”, Bhu’ja calmly replied. “I wasn’t sure it was connected to this one, but it was. There was an exit and an egg chamber down there. I blew it up with my bomb set to a low-level”.

“What? Why didn’t you mention anything?”, the red hunter growled. “Like I said, I wasn’t sure”, the other replied.

“Why did you go off like that on your own?”, I asked. “What if you had been wrong and it was the queens chamber?”. Our leader turned his head in my direction, still pinned against the wall by the younger. “Then I would have gone back and told you… I figured I could deal with blowing up an egg chamber and a second exit on my own”.

Tarei snorted and released him. “That’s how you get yourself killed…”, he uttered.

Our leader sighed deeply. “It would have taken too long to figure out which way was the right anyhow”, he reasoned. “Let’s just continue”. He started walking down the other path.

I followed along with Tarei’shan, who gave a low angry rumble, which seemed to go unnoticed by the hunter in front of us. _What the pauk…_

“I swear… we’re lucky that wasn’t heard by the entire hive”, the hunter behind me grumbled. “Get over yourself, Tarei’hsan”, Bhu’ja turned with a sneer. “Elder Nagara sent us on this Chiva because he knew we were ready, because he believes we can!”, he stalked closer to the red hunter. “Quit comparing the present to the past! Nothing will repeat like that-!”.

“If you genuinely believe that, then fine! But I refuse to forget the mistakes of the past, Bhu’ja!”, Tarei roared back at him. “Whether it was our own or others, we need to learn from them-!”.

“Enough!”, I interrupted, stepping between them. “Now is not the time for rivalry. That can wait until later! Right now, we need to focus and work as a team. We are here because our clan knew we were- “, I cut myself off as scraping entered my range of hearing.

Bhu’ja breathed out, “sei-i… You’re right. Tarei, I shouldn’t have brought that up”. He looked over at the red yautja. “Tarei?”, he said.

Tarei didn’t answer, he could most likely hear it too. “Nrak?”, Bhu’ja turned to me.

Our leader turned to face the darkness ahead of us, now hearing it like us. “That sound…”.

My eyes widened as I saw shadows shifting in the black void. I quickly turned my visor mode to heat seeking. I tensed, now seeing what was moving in there.

“Get ready!”, Bhu’ja uttered to us, hoping they wouldn’t hear us. “Hold position for now!”.

We stood still as stones, not moving a muscle, still cloaked. I had no idea if they knew we were right here or not. My eyes following their careful moves as they climbed above and beside us on the stones.

There were close to a dozen around us… _Did Elder Nagara and The Ancients know this? Did they not know they were this many?_

A cold feeling began to creep into my stomach.

 _Calm down_ , I told myself. _So far, they don’t seem to know we’re here. Just stay calm._

_This was not meant for young bloods seeking their Chiva. This many away from the queen should have been a hunt for elites or specialists. We weren’t ready for this; we are going to die here…_

I closed my eyes for a second, willing myself to calm down and breathe silently.

 _Even if we are to die, it will be with honour._ Tarei and I still had our gauntlets; we would blow this mountain to atoms if we saw failure close in. _At least we are blooded now…_

Tarei suddenly stumbled back a step as one got too close to him. _C’jit…_

All hell broke loose as their attention turned on him. Everything was chaos.

All 3 of us turned off our cloaking.

All I knew was fighting and killing those serpents while watching the back of my friends.

There was too many… We couldn’t possibly win this…

“Nrak’ytara!”, Bhu’ja called from the other side of the tunnel. “We can’t let them get out! Do it!”, he was struggling with at least 3 R’ka. Out of the corner of my visor, I caught Tarei’hsan cutting a serpent down only to go on the defensive against 2 others.

“Sei-i!”, I responded. We won’t have failed and they won’t threaten the natives of this planet.

I pushed a R’ka off me and sliced at another to keep it away. _Forgive me, bearer, sire…_

I reached to put in the self-destruction codes on my left gauntlet. Keeping advancing Kainde Amedha away with kicks.

“Nrak, behind you!”, Tarei yelled. I barely managed to turn in defence before I was thrown to the ground and pinned by a Kainde Amedha. I shouted in pain as its claws impaled my shoulder and arm. “C’jit!”, I clicked.

Lifting my legs, I succeeded in kicking it off me, only for another to take its place. _If you’re down, you’re already dead,_ another lesson from Tbi.

I released my ki’cti-pa and went after its chest. It was thrown off me by a hard kick from Bhu’ja, who reached down to grab me but was forcefully knocked away himself by another serpent when I was halfway up. “Now!”, he roared.

My gauntlet on my left wrist shattered as an inner mouth shot out close to my arm. _H’ko!_

The serpent bit down on my forearm, metal shattering. “ _Arrgh!_ ”, I screamed.

“ _Nrak!_ ”.

“ _Pauk!_ ”, someone shouted.

I plunged my ki’cti-pa into the head of my attacker. It released my arm and dropped, dead on the ground.

I stumbled back with my right hand over the wound. _I failed…_

I shook my head both to clear it from the pain and to tell the others it was impossible for me to end it.

I stumbled back another step as a Kainde Amedha pushed into me. And then one more, and another…

“Nrak’ytara!”, Bhu’ja called, pushing at his opponent to get to me. Suddenly it seemed every R’ka was between me and my brothers. _Are they separating us…?_ The question crossed my mind.

“M-di!”, Tarei’hsan roared, reaching out for me only to roll out of the way as a tail slashed at him. He raised his own arm to push activate his gauntlet.

The distance between my friends and I grew greater as I kept being pushed at. I, myself, stepped backwards to avoid being impaled. Realization hitting me as they pushed me down the dark hole of the cave. _They're trying to pull us away from each other!_

Tarei was slammed against the wall before he was halfway through the codes. “ _Paya…_ ”, he breathed out, he was bleeding from multiple cuts around his exposed body parts.

Bhu’ja tried to push himself through the live, dangerous barrier to get to me, but clearly couldn’t succeed. They were just too many.

“ _Nrak!_ ”.

“ _Retre-!_ ”, I tried to yell to them, but I wasn’t sure how much they heard as I was tackled once again. _Paya, let them have heard it…_ It was better to retreat and blow the entrance to pieces than die in here for nothing.

Then the spike of a tail bore itself deep into my shoulder, I gave a roar of agony. It pulled upwards at the new wound. I grabbed the tail to at least relieve some of the pressure. I didn’t dare cut it or else I would get hit with acid.

I struggled as the R’ka dragged me down the stone path. A few serpents stayed around me, sneering and snapping, while they rest stayed to keep my brothers at bay.

Suddenly, it dawned on me. _They are taking me to egg-chamber-_

I sneered with a frown, fighting harder. Not minding my throbbing wounds _. Pain was just another opponent to overcome!_

_Cetanu’s name I refuse to succumb to a parasite! I would rather bathe in acid than become a u’darahje’s breeding vessel!_

I twisted, taking my chances I swayed my right arm through the end of the tail, separating the spike from the member. Then rolling to the side and onto my feet. The Kainde Amedha that had impaled me shrieked in distress, acid dripping from the open end of its tail. I had been lucky not to have been hit by it.

My right hand gripped the spike imbedded in my left shoulder, tearing it out. _Cetanu, that hurt!_

My vision was blurred as I was felt my blood leak down my arm and agonizing pain was the only feeling I had currently.

My body was shaking.

 _Focus!_ I ordered myself. In front of me 3 R’ka stood between me and my comrades not to mention outside. Behind me was certain death, no matter how fast or slow.

I growled dangerously at the blockade of serpents.

_If I were going down, it would be on my terms, not theirs!_

I raised my right arm in defence, sneering at my prey. Then I ran forward.

I shifted on my feet, kept moving about, blindly cutting around me. My body moving on its own. I wasn’t sure what was happening around me. But I’m sure I at least made another kill or two.

I panted as I halted, glancing around me, I found only 1 R’ka left. But I was further down the tunnel than I had been before.

Both the serpent and I had bleeding cuts on our bodies. It sneered as it stalked closer and closer. I stepped back to distance me from it and regain my senses but stopped as pebbles fell out under my foot. I turned a bit to glance behind me. _A pit?_

_Darkness down for who know how far. Damnit…_

Breathing heavy, I readied my defence-stance once again. _I will not die here! I refuse!_

I had expected the R’ka to try and push me the other way further down the tunnel or let me attack first. Instead it sat off full force into me. I lost my footing and slipped over the edge. The serpent following me with a screech.

I stabbed it in the side of its skull, the beast released its grip on me, going still.

I fell into the dark below.

Everything was so dark.

I slipped in the small pool of blood I'd made as I entered the ship. Falling hard to the ground, blood splattering out. I breathed heavily as I reached up the close the ships hatch. _This wasn’t good…_

I dragged myself all the way into the sleeping courters where we kept our medical supplies.

“Are you in here?”, I weakly called out for my friends. _No response. Just silence. Dammit._

I had awoken in complete darkness. I had somehow hauled myself out of the cave system and all the way back to the ship. I thanked Paya that it had still been here. I’d feared it was gone since I had no idea how long I had been in the darkness. But I could guess it hadn’t been more than a day or 2, since I was still alive and the blood flowing freshly.

_But the others weren’t here…_

I pushed myself up and reached for the box of supplies. The moment I grabbed it, pain shot through my body and I fell forward onto my stomach.

I didn’t have the strength to try again. I couldn’t move anymore. _I’m so tired._

Maybe they were still out there somewhere, recovering themselves before returning to the ship. 

A thump came beside me, I glanced over to the box that had fallen down. I tried to reach for it, but my arm didn't seem to respond.

I felt so weak…

My eyes fluttered close.

_I’m sorry brother…_

The stones fell to the ground with loud thumps, blocking the exit I had dragged myself out of close to 7 spans ago or at least so I believed. It was the work of gods that I still breathed. Whether it was a blessing or curse was yet to be revealed. All I knew was my true Chiva wasn't over. _Not yet._

My handmade bombs worked but they wasn't that effective. They got the job done though.

I glanced down at my left forearm. I had bandaged it after pulling all the metal shards out. I had been lucky that the R'ka's bite hadn't broken bone. It had just shattered the metal, making it bore into my flesh. 

At least the R’ka shouldn’t be able to get out now. I took a few steps backwards, winching as I moved my body too much. I still hurt but mostly it was just soreness.

The others hadn’t returned yet. They must have been more hurt than last I’d seen them. Any day now they would come back and we could go home.

The mountain was large, it had multiple exit points but all should be barriered now. I had checked all around, this one should be the last.

I started to head back to the ship, see what I could do… at least until Tarei’hsan came back.

Distant voices suddenly caught my attention on my way back. _Oomans._

I activated my cloaking and heading in that way out of curiosity. I wasn’t gonna do anything unless I had to defend myself.

I placed myself behind a tree, keeping cover despite the illusion of invisibility. My visor zeroed in on a group of them. They were heading away from me. There were 5 of them, 3 males, 2 females. All lightly armed with at least a gun and a knife each of some kind, but they didn’t seem dangerous otherwise. Talking and laughing together. My eyes narrowed.

_Good... no fighting today._

I turned and headed back.

The next day, the oomans were standing near the same area as last time, I was watching nearby. They were closer than they had been the other day. _Much closer._ One of the males talking about something, using his arms and hands visibly, seeming to point out into the forest even further. My eyes narrowed. _What was their goal?_

After they headed back like before, I moved over the forest opening and headed back to the cave I had found in smaller mountain nearby. I had made the choice to stay there when I wasn’t working on the ship. It was further from the coordinates of the Chiva.

I couldn’t let them get to _that mountain._ It would be too dangerous.

Again, I was watching the oomans, this time they were headed straight for the clearing. _Were they going for the mountain?_

This time they seemed more serious, they were silent and cautious. _No doubt about it_ , I thought. _They knew something was up around here._

If they got into the mountain they could be used as hosts and die to breed new R’ka. _I couldn’t let that happen._

My clan would understand when I explained to them after my return.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. _It would be a mercy for them._

I stepped out to meet the oomans. I didn’t pay much mind that 2 of the oomans seemed different that the previous days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Please let me know what you think of these chapters, it will mean a lot <3
> 
> I am going on a hiatus for a while. I am dealing with some personal stuff and therefore I am moving out to crash at some friends places to get myself sorted and find an apartment of my own again. That means I wont have access to a computer and the means to write.  
> I'm really sorry... I'd finally gotten the spark to write again back. But i guees it will have to wait :(
> 
> But i promise i will return better than ever! <3
> 
> Until next time! :D
> 
> Translation:  
> Chiva = Trial  
> R'ka = Xenomorph  
> Cetanu = God of Death  
> T'sha're = Shadow  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shells/Meat (slang for Xenomorph)  
> Terra = Latin word for earth  
> Mo = No  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> Paya = God/Goddes  
> Ki'cti-pa = Wrist blades  
> C'jit = Shit  
> U'darahje = Abomination  
> M-di = No  
> H'ko = No  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> Lar’ja-bpi-de = Dark End  
> Medi-comp = A container of medical items


	13. Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time, no see!  
> I'm back again with a brand new chapter. Let's get to it!

Nita´s POV

* * *

The trees looked like blurs in my vision as I sprinted, still taking care not to trip and fall or else I would be caught.

My stamina was running low. I had to stop and breathe soon.

Taking my chances, I ducked behind a tree, pressing myself flat against the bark. Heart pounding and adrenaline high from being hunted.

_Remember your lessons from Raki; breathe deep, slow your heart, but most important; listen to your surroundings when you’re hiding._

I closed my eyes and focused. Willing myself to be quiet.

Before a minute passed, I felt calmer. I could clearly hear the forest around me.

_Shuffling. Leaves and twigs crunching._

My eyes opened. My hunter was moving closer, towards my hiding spot. Slowly without giving myself away, my hand moved to the knife I had at my hip, quietly pulling it out, ready to defend myself.

_Listen to the sounds…_

More crunching…

_The left side!_

My pursuer was moving to come around from the left.

_Had they found me?_

I gripped the knife tight, silently moving to the right, using the tree as support and kept it between them and me.

But I’d moved too slow I realized as I was grabbed by my collar from behind.

I blindly stabbed behind me with the knife. A slash and a grunt.

_I had hit them!_

I was thrown hard to the ground, I tried to land as best as I could. Getting my feet under me fast, I got up, knife still in hand.

I turned to face my attacker, only to meet a blade at my throat.

_Damn it…_

“It over”, Raki stated. I closed my eyes.

I exhaled deeply as he lowered the twin blades.

“Good, Niitah. I al- almost didn’t find you this time”, he continued, approval clear in words.

“Thanks, Raki…”, I tried not to sound too disappointed, but he read me like an open book, I opened my eyes again looking at the ground.

“Niitah… we only train for some phases. Stronger take time”, he said in broken English. “You a pup, not stronger after short training”. I knew where he was going, that he meant well.

“I- Yes, you’re right”, I replied.

“Look, you drew blood this time”, he lifted his arm to show me the cut I’d given him. It was bleeding green, quite a lot too.

I stared at the wound. “Woah…”, I exclaimed, not quite sure if it was a good thing.

Raki simply gave a chuckle. “No worry, pup. I had worse”.

Of course, he had, _I had seen it_. I nodded to him.

“Let go to the cave. Good job”. I felt a bit prouder.

We headed back together.

Nrak’ytara´s POV

* * *

As the spans passed, Nita slowly got stronger and faster. I trained her physically every 2 spans and every other span, we would track and hunt each other, each span ending with practising movements and then a sparring match with weapons.

 _Well, at least we tried…_ most spans we simply went over different routine forms and stances.

Nita was small for her age. Quick and light on her feet too with a whole lot of stamina. If I dared, I would say she could outlast most Yautja's stamina, if they both ran at a steady pace. Having that advantage meant Nita could win a fight against a bigger and stronger foe if she played smart.

Because of her build and size, I had taken to mainly teach her to fight with a spear and with knives.

With the knives she could get in close and leave cuts on her opponent to wear or bleed them out. But she was still small, soft, and fragile, so a spear would help her keep a needed distance.

When the time was right, I would teach her how to craft her own daggers and spear. We had the materials for it, although a bit primitive but still functional. The weapons wouldn’t be traditionally correct without a trained smith, but they could still be just as effective and deadly.

Nita had been surprised when I had gifted her my spare knife. _The one I should have brought that day._ She’d accepted it when I gave it to her after she had tracked me down the first time. She had been hesitant yet happy.

But creating a blade of your own was special. The blade would be a perfect reflection of what the maker fights best with.

I would teach her how to make the perfect weapon for herself when she was ready.

We spent most time of the spans together. While I’d made the decision to stop working on the ship, focusing on Nita’s training, I would still leave every other guan. Patrolling the area along with her teachings had become my top priority.

Stragglers were nearing what we called home. Both ooman and Kainde Amedha. Nita didn’t need to know that; she was better off focusing on her training. We would be fine as long as I kept those stragglers away from here, distracted. R’ka wasn’t an issue so long as there only was one or two at a time. But the oomans presence by the far forest border set me on edge. I’d made a vow to my clan-name to not hunt oomans unless necessary. But these oomans were like those disciplined ones that had almost taken Nita against her will. If they come too close, I would not hesitate to strike if I had to.

I had also gotten better at speaking ooman or as Nita calls it, _Eng-lish_. She taught me her language just by speaking and she’d also started to correct me must times if I made a mistake, but it helped me approve a lot in the tongue.

 _Nita’s progress in my tongue?_ It was slow, _terribly slow._ But it amused me to no end hearing her try to pronounce some of the words, much to her disfavour. But she refused to give up on learning it. The pup really was strongheaded.

Her progress in combat? That was another deal entirely. How she progressed was remarkable. It was impressive how she handled herself both while training and her survival skills. Apparently, Nita had been part of a group of pups being led by an adult who taught them how to survive in nature and sharpen their basic instincts.

But Nita’s family, her entire bloodline, was different from most oomans. I wasn’t sure exactly how but she had explained to me that everyone in her family were seen as outsiders of a sort even though they were the ones that truly belonged in this sector of Terra. She was taught to connect with the earth itself and pay tribute to nature since before she would remember.

She believes that nature has a course, and everyone must take their place in it. Help lead it where it was meant to go. I still wasn’t quite sure how what made sense but my people’s existence to hers are also an impossibility.

_And here we are._

I taught her how to track and kill animals, in turn, she showed me how her people guide their lifeforce to the afterlife with proper respect. Why a prey would ever wish to enter the hunting grounds willingly was beyond me. Though Nita had explained the afterlife and the hunting grounds weren’t the same place. Much to my growing confusion about oomans and Terra.

Together we agreed to use the entirety of the animals we hunted. What we didn’t use ourselves, we made into bait or simply food for other animals nearby.

I’d been surprised and honestly somewhat uncertain the span Nita wanted to go to the stream to hunt.

“Killing by prey’s water will scare them away”, I had tried to reason. But the stubborn pup had argued right back, and so forcing me to agree, _hesitantly._

It wasn’t that I minded hunting for prey further from the cave _should_ the need come. But the risk of being attacked was greater.

So now, here we are. My mind almost went blank when the pup placed herself in the middle of the stream, pant legs rolled up, with a pointy stick and a piece of giblet from some flying creature. “Be patient”, she told me.

_Me, patient? Ha! I am a hunter._

_I was born patient_.

_Patience was an understatement,_ I huffed to myself, pacing by the shoreline. Nita had been at this for hours now, I’m surprised she herself hadn’t grown bored yet. So far, she had only caught a few fish, as she called them. _Strange creatures…_ I could see their heat-signature, yet they were quite cooler than the average Terran wildlife.

We are supposed to eat these…? _Oomans ate these strange creatures?_ Apparently yes… quite disturbing actually. I was even more disturbed when Nita told me some ate them raw, but it could be life-threatening if they weren’t treated correctly. Why you would ever risk your life to eat food was concerning to me. But she assured me we would roast them like we usually do with our prey.

“Why risk life to eat small thing?”, I clicked to her after her honest story. “Because it’s good for us”, she responded. Risking death simply to eat was good? _Yeah right…_

_Maybe I had really underestimated these oomans?_

_At least their stupidity…_

Yet… every time she caught one, she looked proudly up at me with a smile while showing her prey off. It kept me at least somewhat amused.

I wasn’t a fan of fish… even roasted, they were too squishy with a crunch. Which was slightly alarming.

When I finished my first, I caught Nita staring at me with wide eyes.

“What wrong?”, I clicked in confusion. “You ate the whole fish…?”, she asked. “Sei-i?”, I replied, puzzled to what the problem was.

Then she started chuckling, I glanced to the fish she was holding, only then did I notice she had taken small bites of it. Tiny bones visible… Bones inside that squishy animal?

_Huh… now the crunch made sense._

“I… see…”, I simply said. _How was I supposed to know how to eat a fish, when I only learned of their existence a few hours ago?_

 _Not sulking_ I grabbed another, peeling the soft flesh off with my mandibles. _Not that I minded bones._ Nita still giggling.

I had placed myself outside the crave, sharpening my blades, watching the pup go through the exercises I had showed her when we first begun the lessons.

I had to speed up the training for Nita, we were running out of time. We wouldn’t be safe here for much longer. Nita was still young, but she was smart, strong and resourceful. I believe we would succeed if we attacked with a plan.

More and more serpents were roaming the area, luckily only few at a time and I was thinning them out. But it was enough for me to know the entrances to their hive weren’t properly closed. They had to get out somewhere then they kept coming like that.

If enough R’ka got out, it could end badly. _Worst case scenario?_ They would breed another queen and hell would break loose in this sector and soon the rest of Terra.

I would have to get Nita ready and soon… but not without her consent. She was a pup, _a ooman pup._ She would never be safe here; we both knew it. I could and would get her far away the moment she asked if she didn’t want to fight.

A few spans ago, I had found a small settlement with a few oomans and more passing through. I could deliver her there at a moment’s notice. The place seemed relatively safe, no armed oomans. So, should it come to it, I wouldn’t have to worry.

I had no doubt in my mind I would die in battle without her… but if she was safe? I would gladly do it and take the entire mountain and forest with me if I had to.

I had found a spare gauntlet in the ship after turning everything inside upside down. Unfortunately, it was only a prototype. It could definitely cause an explosion but that was all.

However, if I failed at it… _like last time_ \- I shook my head, focusing on my task.

It would only be a matter of time before Elder Nagara and Tbi would push The Council to act. Nagara certainly wouldn’t allow a genocide on Terra nor risk losing an entire planet to the Kainde Amedha even if The Ancients were hesitant after the disappearance and presumably death of the Specialist sent down here some cycles ago.

Not to mention the law passed on from our predecessors that had first stepped foot on Terra.

_The somewhat sentient beings are ignorant of what they would consider extraterrestrial. They should no longer be interfered with multiple times a solar cycle._

That’s what the law said or… at least something close to that…

I looked down at my arm, checking the scar. I tensed and untensed the muscles in my wrist a few times. Then went back to the task at hand.

I had known the Specialist… or at least met him then I had been a pup myself. He was- had been young for his status, a true Elite warrior specializing in whips, one of the most challenging traditional weapons. He wasn’t of my Clan, but he had been hunting comrades with Kujhade’s sire once or twice. Rumours had it, it had been his life’s work to hunt the rarest of prey and when reports of a U’darahje with Yautja-blood were spotted on Terra, he had been the chosen hunter. Only he never returned… nobody ever heard from him again. But the U’darahje hadn’t been spotted either since. Story has it he went down with the prey, like a true hunter.

Nagara and Tbi may be leading a small clan but The Council still listened to them, at least somewhat. If it were up to The Ancients alone, they wouldn’t interfere unless oomans were on the brink of extinction. But Nagara wouldn’t let that happen… not after the oomans had gained the Elder’s respect.

I looked up, startled out of my thoughts as I heard a thump before me. Nita had fallen down, laying in the grass panting.

I rose with a quick glance up to the sun. _Pauk… I had been lost in my thoughts for at least an hour. It was gonna get me killed one span…_

I stepped over to stand above her, shading her from the sun. “Niitah? Are you al- okay?”, I clicked.

“Yah…”, she panted, she rolled over on her knees to get up again. “Just needed a minute…”. I frowned; this was not like her. Yes, she was always training when I asked her to, always pushed herself as far as possible but this was too much.

Nita took the standard position to start again. “Niitah stop”, I said. She began to move sluggishly with shaking limbs. _Sei-i, this was too far_. “What, why?”, she asked. I grabbed her shoulder gently to keep her from moving further. “Stop”, I repeated.

“But I have to be ready. You said I had to do it longer, harder and faster, right?”, she asked me. I hadn’t meant it like that, my Eng-lish was still lacking. I took a breath and softly pushed her down to the grass. “Raki, what are you doing?”, she asked confused but let herself be guided to sit down.

“You train too much you will not be strong, you become weaker”, I tried to tell her. “Train too much is bad”. I sat down in front of her, looking her in the eyes, hoping she would understand my intent.

“I just…”, Nita said. “I just wanna be stronger so I can help…”. It was my fault, I hadn’t been clear in my words, in my training instructions. “You are exhausted. Rest is important too”, I explained.

She let herself fall backwards, to lie down again. “I guess…”, she murmured, still breathing heavily, sweat covered her skin.

“Niitah”, I called. “Hmm?”, she hummed in reply. “Get up. You need wash”.

She pushed herself up and stood, swaying back and forth a second before regaining her balance. “Right…”, she mumbled.

“We change training to 2 spans, then rest 1?”, I asked her, leaning my back on a tree near the lake.

Nita had gone and found a lake close to our mountain while trying to hide from me. I had no idea it was there but she had stumbled across it. We had chosen the lake for washing, while the stream was for drinking and fishing, _even if I didn’t like those squishy creatures..._

On the other side of the tree Nita had privacy to clean herself without me bothering her. Privacy were apparently a big deal for oomans especially when it came to their bodies. I didn’t quite get it, but it wasn’t my business anyway. Nita was old enough to look out for herself, if any dangers approached, I could jump to at a moment’s notice.

“Yeah…”, she called. “That sounds like a good idea”. I could hear water splashing and tiny exhausted sighs from the pup. _C’jit… I really pushed her too far… I should have held back, given her time to rest…_

“Damn…”, Nita uttered after some time. I turned my head towards the sound, still unable to see her.

“Niitah?”, I clicked. “I just… forgot to bring other clothes…”, she confessed. I glanced down to the pack I had found at a vehicle just before I met her, deciding to bring it along. “Now these are all wet because I washed them…”, she groaned. I smirked beneath my helmet listening to her scold herself. Her mumbling continued, but I couldn’t make it out.

“Here”, I called to her, throwing the bag around the tree towards her position. Deciding she had beat herself up enough lately.

“Ahhh…”, came a noise from her. I leaned back against the tree. “Thank you, Raki!”, she exclaimed.

I gave a rumble in reply, shaking my head slightly.

I can hear her shuffling through the back, likely looking for clothes that fit her.

“Okay, I’m done!”, she called after a few minutes. I pushed myself off the tree and walking around it towards the pup.

She was sitting on a bigger boulder placed among a few smaller ones close to the lake. She was pushing her wet clothes into the bag. She would hang them up to dry in the cave then we returned.

I halted in my steps a few feet away.

I was surprised I hadn’t noticed before, but I guess when you many spans together smalls things go unnoticed.

But I could clearly see now how much Nita had changed and grown the last few phases. But it was her hair that caught my attention.

“What?”, Nita said, looking up at me. I guess she had caught me starring. “Why are you just standing there and starring like that?”. Genuine curiosity in her words, it wasn’t disrespectful in any way.

“Your hair…”, I simply clicked.

“What about it?”, she retorted, brushing some of it away from her eyes.

“It has grown”, I stated. “Yeah…? Hair does that?”, she replied, sounding confused.

“It almost touch your shoulders”, I pointed out. She reached up again to grab a strand, looking. “Huh... I guess so…”, she uttered. It had been short when we first met, very close to her head.

I stepped closer. “Do you have something to cut it with?”, she asked suddenly, turning to look at me again.

I tilted my head. “I do”, I replied. “But why would you cut it?”, I asked before she could say anything. “I’m aw- I know ooman hair is not the same as my kind… but hair represents us… everyone, even oomans. Long hair is an honour”.

She puffed a bit. “Yeah… I guess… “, she looked down. “It’s just… long hair only gets in the way...”. She glanced up at me, determination in her eyes despite her exhausted body. “Short hair is safer too; it can’t get grabbed or caught in something”.

I frowned beneath my bio-mask. There was clearly experience behind those words. _In what situation had Nita learned to play on the safe side with her hair? A ooman pup shouldn’t change appearance for their own safety…_

I thought for a minute. “I could pull it together…?”, I offered. She looked at me almost shocked. “Like…”, I reached up and gestured to my tendrils. I didn’t know the ooman word for it, but I think she understood what I meant.

“You know how to _braid_?”, she enquired.

I stepped even closer with a nod, gently laying my hands on her shoulders and turning her so her back was to me. She allowed herself to be moved.

“Sei-i, if that’s the ooman word for it”, I responded. “As young, our hair- tendrils are _brai’hd_ ”, I started to explain, trying to mimic the word, softly taking a hold of some of her hair locks. _Strange, it felt so soft.._. “The progress takes many spans and is painful because of the nerves in our hair”. I worked almost on routine from the top down, minding her head, only taking small strands at a time. “But it is a progress all of us go through and it is an honoured tradition. However, at the time we are so young we barely remember it as we grow up”.

Nita was listening with curiosity, allowing me to work. “I helped brai'hd my younger siblings’ tendrils few times… that’s how I know”, I ended, just as I finished the work.

I took a step back, glancing over my handywork.

Nita reached up to touch her head, eyes wide. It helped shorten the length in total and keep her hair together.

She got up to jump over towards the water again. I tilted my head again. She looked at her refection in the water. It was a calm day, cooler than I liked but no winds so the water was still.

Nita reached up to inspect her hair both by touch and through the reflection.

I almost got worried as a few minutes passed with no other reaction. _Had I done something wrong? Maybe this wasn’t appropriate in ooman culture…_

Suddenly she looked back to me, a huge smile on her little face. “This is so cool!”, she exclaimed.

I blinked. _Cool? Her hair was cold?_ “I can undo it if it makes you freeze”, I said hastily. _Maybe ooman hair had more meaning and use than I first expected._

“What? No”, she answered with a frown. Then she giggled. “Cool means- also means that something is nice”, she explained. “Thank you, Raki”, she said.

“Your wel-comed?”.

_I am confused…_

“It’s you are welcome”, she corrected.

“Quiet”, I huffed. She snickered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm better now but a lot has happened these past months and there is still big changes for me in the near future, therefore I can't promise a steady upload schedule. I'll try to update at least every 2-3 weeks :)
> 
> As you've probably guessed, a few months have passed since Raki offered Nita training. They have both grown closer and Raki is better at speaking but is still struggeling. So, I've tried to make his POV and words as limited as possible in the understanding of humans and the language. I hope its understandable, if not, please let me know and I'll rewrite it to make more sense :P  
> (It's harder than expected to write a character learning english, even through I'm not a native english speaker myself XD)
> 
> Also a "non-canon" character is mentioned in this chapter... can you guess who?? :P
> 
> But all in all I'm actually kinda happy with this chapter...  
> Feedback is still greatly appreciated! 
> 
> P.S = I've rewritten/edited all the previous chapters. Most have been simple grammatical errors and small changes to give the plot and future chapters more meaning.
> 
> Translations:  
> Span = Day  
> Kainde Amedha = Hard Shells/Meat (Xenomorph)  
> Terra = Latin word for Earth  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> R'ka = Xenomorph  
> Cycle/Solar Cycle = Basically 1 year  
> U'darahje = Abomination  
> C'jit = Shit  
> Phase/Moon Phase = 1 month


	14. Unexpected

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG WHAT IS THIS?! A new chapter so soon?! I'm confuzzled...
> 
> Enjoy! (/◕ヮ◕)/

Nrak’ytara´s POV

* * *

It had become something of a ritual between the pup and I to rest in the clearing in front of the cave after a span of training. Today I had joined her just lying in the grass, looking up at the sky. My Bio-mask placed beside me. My own little experiment to see how long I could go without it. So far, I didn’t have to wear it the majority of the span, but when the sun started to set, I would feel drained, without energy. I suppose I could go longer but I didn’t dare take the chance should dangers suddenly appear, then I needed all the strength I had.

Nita had done well today; she was getting better with the daggers and she could track me faster. But her combat skills were still lacking especially with the spear. I would have to slowly guide the training to focus on that.

But for now, she deserved to rest.

I sat up after a few minutes, feeling restless even after the whole span. Resting like this wasn’t something I was used to.

“What’s tomorrow?”, Nita asked not moving from her position.

I glanced down at her. She had been completely focused on training since she had more or less collapsed a few spans ago. I admired that but…

Nita had been _too_ serious the last couple of spans. I smirked as an idea entered my thoughts. A pup should have fun once in a while. I may be Blooded now but I was still young too, I could easily play a few tricks with others. “Stay”, I said as I got up.

“Hmm?”, she lifted her head to look at me. But I had already turned my back to her.

My brother had played this trick on me multiple times when we were pups, I had fallen for victim to it more than I wanted to admit. Now it was my turn to play it on someone else, but I needed some cloth first, not wanting to play it as rough as he had done.

I grabbed a blanket by my sack and turned to head back to Nita again. I laid it out besides her. “What’s the point in that, I’m laying just fine”, she said. _Aww, she thought it was for her comfort._

I reached down to turn her over, rolling her until she was on the blanket. “Raki, _what-_?”, she protested as I threw the sides over her. “Don’t turn me into a cocoon!”, her voice was muffled by the cloth, I pulled the blanket down over her head, so she could see but it still was between the ground and her.

“Ready?”, I chuckled down as her. “I don’t-? “, she didn’t get to finish as I grabbed her legs through the blanket and started walking in a fast pace to the trees.

She could do nothing but let herself be pulled through the forest by me. “ _Raki, what are you doing?!_ ”, she shrieked. I felt her try to kick her legs out of my hold, it was weak. I was stronger than her, and she had pushed herself hard during training. She wasn’t getting away.

I pulled her to the lake close to our cave. Nita had found some terms ago and it was closer than the stream. It would be _perfect_.

I stopped a bit from the water, letting go of the pup. She looked around, realizing where I had taken her. “Why did you do that?!”, she yelled at me, trying to untangle herself. I smiled down at her. “Wait, you’re smiling... Why are you smiling like that?”, she asked moving a bit away as she got free. I bent down to pick her up, Nita squirming in my arms.

“No”, she said, realization kicking in _. So, she had figured it out?_

_Heh, too late._

She looked up at me. “Don’t you _dare_ , Raki”, I stepped closer to the water. “Raki, _no_ , don’t you dare-!”, I tossed her out into the water.

She gave a squeal as she flew through the air and landed in the water.

**_SPLASH!_ **

I roared in laughter as she sputtered in the water, her eyes wide in shock.

As she got her breath back, she glared up at me. _If looks could kill…_

I settled for a chuckle then she pointed a finger up at me. “I am still in my training clothes, you big alien!”, Nita accused.

 _Not very insulting, but at least she tried_. I kept laughing.

“Yeah, _har har_ ”, she mimicked. “Really funny”, she grumbled. Now I know why Yeyin always did it to me and our siblings. It was actually quite funny.

“Why did you feel the need to do that?”, Nita asked me. I calmed myself a bit, then replying, “You stank”.

Her eyes widened.

“Warm again?”, I clicked to Nita. The water had been cold, which I did not know. Nita had explained that seasons on Terra shifts, sometimes dramatically. Daylight lessened and temperature lowered because the winter season was approaching.

We both sat by the fire in our cave, her body covered in a dry blanket. Food almost done.

“Yeah, I am”, she answered, with a small smile, eyes focused on the flames. “I can’t believe your brother used to do that to you”. Referring to the story I had told as I carried her back. How I had played with my brother and after he wore me out, he would knock me over, grab my ankles and run all the way to the closest water source, dragging me behind and then throwing me in.

I chuckled, turning the meat over. “Sei-i. He did it with my other siblings too, but it stopped after he became blooded”, I replied. “Around that time, none of us were small pups anymore either”. It was a time where we had been on Yautja Prime. I haven’t seen the planet for multiple cycles, almost half an era... 

Our Sire had made the decision to send all of us to Nagara, to spare us of the judgement of the other Yautja. Those who thought my Sire _weak_ for settling down with my bearer at such an age.

Mating with the same partner was common but settling down with them… less so. My Sire and Bearer only had one or two each outside their offspring together. The 2 had just found respect and contentment in each other, not seeing the need for searching for other partners. After my Sire had been severely injured during a hunt, to a point even the healers couldn’t help, he asked her to settle down with him and she had accepted. It wasn’t anyone’s business that they chose to become life-mates. Besides… they had their Elders blessings.

Nagara had offered to take us in and our life-bringers had sent us away until we could defend ourselves and make our names respected without having to worry about being in the shadow of our family name. I didn’t complain, I had enjoyed the life on the mothership and the few small colonies I had been in. But now more than ever I wanted to return to Yautja Prime.

I had been the youngest at the time, barely considered un-blooded, raised by my siblings, Tbi and Nagara along with Kujhade´s bloodline. They had all understood.

After my training begun, we lost our sister, Luar-k, she had been… murdered by Ic’jits. Many of my siblings had then devoted their lives to hunt those dishonouring our codes then. But Yeyin-sain’ja had mainly stayed with me.

“Raki?”, Nita asked softly. I looked up, “sei-i?”.

“What does it mean to be blooded?”, she questioned, tilting her head. A habit she had most likely picked up from me.

 _How to explain?_ I thought for a minute.

“Blooded means adult”, I explained. “As young we train to fight and hunt. One day we will take our Chiva”. I stopped, so should she have questions, she could ask.

“ _Chevah_? What’s that?”, she scooted closer to me. I had gained her full attention.

I smiled beneath my bio-mask. “Chiva is like test”, I described. “A hunt for young ones to become adults. It is a dangerous hunt. Only strong and smart survive. We will be respected and viewed as one of our clan. We also gain right to ma- “, I cut myself off in my haste to explain. Nita was a pup; she didn’t need to hear _that_. “To make comrades with members of other clans”, I tried to push it on to something else.

“And to spe-.. spez-…”, I struggled with the word. “To fight with a certain weapon?”, I tried to explain, asking Nita to help me. “Like one kind to concentrate?”.

Nita thought for a second. “Specialize?”, she offered.

“Sei-i!”, I exclaimed. “To specialize with a weapon of tradition”. She gave a noise of understanding. “That’s what most of it is”, I ended the explanation.

“Are you blooded then?”, she asked.

I chucked. “I became Blooded a few spans before we met”.

“So… you were basically still a teenager a few months ago?”, she asked with a teasing voice.

Now it was my turn to tilt my head. “T’heen-ajer?”, I tried to mimic. The word and its meaning were unknown to me.

“ _Teenager_ ”, she had clearly. “It’s a word we call ourselves then we are 13 to 19 years old. The ages separating kids from grown-ups”, Nita told me. “I guess it’s like your young ones. Not a pup but not blooded either”.

That was weird, but it made sense. “I see”, I uttered. “I prefer Un-blooded or young one”, I said to her. She snickered.

After we had eaten, she asked a more serious question. “Do you miss your family?”. I turned to regard her. “Your brother? You talk about him a lot…”, she said.

I closed my eyes. “I do…”, I honestly responded. “I miss him and the rest. I wish I could see them and my home again. It has been many cycles since we have all been together”.

“You will”, Nita stated. “What?”, I asked. “You will see them and your home again”, she clarified, smiling from under her blankets. “You have to believe in that”. I looked at her.

“I will never understand how you oomans just believe…”, I pondered. “It happens if we believe. So, believe”, she commanded.

I huffed in amusement, slightly shaking my head. I lowered myself to sit near the exit of our cave, watching the sunset.

“What about your home?”, she asked.

“Yautja Prime?”. “Yeah, that’s that like?”.

I hummed. “The planet is far away from here. It is bigger than this one and covered in d’to”, I explained.

“I can’t remember what that means…”, she confessed. I gestured outside. “Forest… hmm. Jungle?”.

“Oh right”, she exclaimed.

“It is covered in d’to and ju’dha”, I continued to explain, Nita muttered something close to water and trees, likely keeping track of my words. “The heat is intense and lasts for spans… phases… But we have grown accustomed to it. For a few spans, each phase it rains heavily, otherwise our sun is present for most of the time, only a few hours, as you call it, is dark like night.

We live in small villages. But there where larger villages around too, I never been in one”.

“Sounds really nice…”, she mumbled. I heard the pup give a yawn behind me. “Sleep t’heen-ajer”, I said over my shoulder, interrupting the story of home. “You need rest”.

The covers shifted. “Very funny”, came a lazy reply. “I’m not a teen yet… ‘bout a year until, I think”.

I glanced back to her. _A cycle… so young… not even my people would consider her an un-blooded, still just a pup._

_Maybe I should take her to the settlement regardless-?_

“Goodnight Raki”, she breathed out. I turned back to look outside, “good-night”.

Nita´s POV

* * *

“Again”, Raki growled.

I got up from the ground. “I can’t…”, I heaved. He stepped around me, to stand face to face. “That’s not what you said before we started, Niitah”.

I rolled my shoulders in slight pain. “We been at this for _hours…_ I can’t do it…”, I replied with a puff, gesturing to the sun. Raki just shook his head. “Again”.

“You said rest was important too”, I tried to reason. He tilted his head. “You have rested, I gave you 2 spans to recover”, he clicked. I leaned forward to rest my hands on my knees. “I changed our training, so you have a spans’ rest every 3 spans”.

I shook my head. “But I’m not like you, Raki”, I said. _I really want to do this, but I just can’t…_

“It must be impossible”. Raki bent down to pick up the stick I’d been using and threw it to me, I clumsily caught it, just barely.

He encouraged with, “you’re fast enough”. I huffed a _fine._ He was faster than I was used to since he had gotten out of the majority of his armour.

I gripped the branch like he had shown me and took a defensive stance.

“Wider”, he commanded.

I looked down at my feet. “What?! I can’t stand as wide as you?!”, I remarked. “You can still stand at shoulder-length”, he said, jabbing my ankle lightly with his own branch.

I widened my position and he nodded. “Happy now?”, I muttered. “Mo”, Raki answered. “Not until you do this… One hit on me, we stop”.

_Riiight… Because a hit is what you want. We both made these rules. You want me to hit you hard and on a place that could kill you if I had a more dangerous weapon than a stick._

_I’m just going to be hit with the stick again…_

“Why do I even have to fight with a spear?”, I called. “I can run and use the daggers just fine”.

“Because… one span you will meet something you must keep at a distance”, he clicked. “You can do that with a spear”.

Raki raised his own branch, getting ready.

Then I moved, trying to keep up with his moves, where he was leading the branch. It was my job to dodge and block, at least until I had my opening for my strike.

_Up, down, left, up, full circle, down, up, right…_

I stepped to the right as Raki swung out to my left.

_There!_

I dodged his strike and moved forward with the intent to jab him in the middle of his chest as the movement left his body completely exposed.

I saw the stick coming back towards me, but I didn’t stop my approach, shooting my own branch forward, it met resistance then I hit Raki’s chest with the end. I had to roll down to the ground as his staff hit me on the shoulder. “Ergh-! “, I exclaimed as I thumped down.

I let go of the branch and held my hand over the place on my shoulder, where he had hit me.

Raki stumbled back a step and his own hand covered the place I had managed to strike him.

_Damn, it hurt!_

“Niitah…”, he looked down at me. I clenched my teeth getting up to a kneeling position. He walked over and crouched down to my level. “Let me look”, he purred.

I let go of my shoulder and raised left arm with a bit of a struggle to let him see. He gently took hold of it and raised his other hand to push my shirt down over my shoulder. I winced.

He stopped, looking to me and almost gave a cooing noise. “It’s fine”, I replied. He breathed out as he pulled the shirt all the way down, sounding relieved.

I turned my head to inspect my shoulder too. It was red but looked fine otherwise. “It doesn’t look broken”, Raki purred. I nodded. “I think it’s just the hit that hurts. Might bruise too…”, I said.

The alien let go of me, raising his head to look at me. “You hit me, Niitah”, he said. “Good job”. I smiled slightly, feeling proud even if I was exhausted and in pain. “But you can’t be that reckless in a real fight”, he continued. My smile fell.

“I saw an opening and I- “, I started but was cut off. “Doing that could kill you in a hunt! You can’t take any chances!”, he growled. “Acting with haste is stupid! You can’t predict what happens in a fight-! Just let instincts and training guide you”, he clicked, calmer.

I looked down. _He was right… I wanted to end the lesson and became too reckless._

“You have to see every outcome of the fight before moving”, he continued. “You understand?”, he purred calmly.

“Yes, Raki”, I said. “I’m sorry…”. He raised his hand to lay on my uninjured shoulder, shaking his head.

“Mo… I am sorry…”, he clicked. “I should have watched better too. Forgive me, Niitah”, he lowered his head. _Like he had done he day he confessed. He is ashamed…_ I realized.

I bumped into his shoulder, trying to get him to stop. “Raki, it’s okay. I understand”, I said with a small smile. He raised his head to regard me a second. Then he stood op in full height before he bent down and helped me up.

“You are right, pup”, he said, letting go of me. “You are not like me; I should not expect you to be like a Yautja…”. I looked up at him. “Sorry…”.

My eyes widened as I caught something moving behind him. My body froze. “ _Raki…_ ”, I whispered.

He bowed his head again, not paying attention to me. “I believe we should change the plan…“, he looked up again. “You will be-“, he stopped his sentence as he saw my expression. “Niitah?”.

I took a step back, still starring at the creature behind my friend. “I- it´s- “, I stuttered, trying to warn him but couldn’t find the words.

Then he seemed to realize where my attention was placed, he half-turned to face the forest.

Panic was building in my chest. I know I shouldn’t be afraid. Fear was something controlling, Raki had told me that. It could guide your body to do something stupid. Even still, Raki was with me. But as far as I knew, he hadn’t faced this kind of animal before.

“ _Grizzly…_ ”, I uttered. He turned completely and immediately took a defensive stance, arms spread out, the moment he saw it. I glanced to the side over at a tree where Raki had placed his armour and gauntlets.

_Could he get there fast enough if it attacked? Maybe I could… but I was tired and sore… I had to try if it came to it!_

I heard the bear growl even with the distance between us. Raki sneered in response, he glanced back at his equipment too, giving a frustrated huff. He gripped his branch tighter as he looked back at the big animal.

Then he shifted to move forward. I quickly reached out with both hands to grab him at the elbow. “Wait…”, I whispered. “Niitah, stay back”, he sneered. The bear gave a roar and stood up on its hind legs which seemed to take Raki aback.

“ _Raki, listen!_ ”, I hissed. “ _What?_ ”, he answered, clearly a bit unsettled at the animal that almost reached his height in this position.

“Bears usually only attack if provoked or defending their home!”, I said in a quiet voice. “We should try and leave…”. We had gone quite some way from the cave. I shouldn’t have been surprised if this area was occupied… Most animals were probably scarred away from the cave area when Raki had appeared. But this place was claimed as theirs.

I gulped when Raki didn’t respond. I tightened my hold on him.

“How fast can you reach the tree?”, he asked. I glanced back towards the gear again, calculating. “10 seconds…”, I replied. “It won’t be fast enough….”.

Raki’s chest rumbled and he shifted again. “Raki please…”, I called in a low voice. He tensed, glancing back at me, then towards the bear again. He exhaled.

“Fine…”, he clicked softly. “What do I do?”.

I tried to remember what I had been told. If I mixed up the survival tactics towards different bears it could provoke it and this situation would end badly.

“Uhm… don’t make direct eye-contact”, I recalled. “Stand our ground or back away slowly…”.

Raki huffed lightly, “standing here isn’t helping”. Then started to shuffle back towards the tree. “This is humiliating…”, came his mumble, not turning his back on the bear. I followed his lead, making sure my head wasn’t facing toward the grizzly but so I still had it in my sights.

The bears front legs came down with a thud, no longer standing up. It took a step forward. I tensed… _Had I been wrong?_

It gave another growl, starting to pace back and forth by the forest line. _Thank the gods…_

I sighed in relief as the bear turned and stalked into the forest again. Raki huffed, then turned to stride to his gear. “ _S’yuit-de..._ ”, he rumbled.

I frowned; it was I word I hadn’t heard before. _At least I don’t think I have?_

“What’s that mean?”, I asked, turning to my friend. He stopped picking up his things for a second, then continued. “No worry about it”, he answered.

I huffed. “Then at least answer me correctly”, I said, trying to cross my arms but decided against it as a tightness came in my left shoulder. He quickly looked up at me almost like I had offended him. I smirked, raising my eyebrows. _Heh._

“Not worry?”, he tried. “Nope”, I stated with a grin. He huffed again then went back to get his armour back on. “What’s ever”, he clicked in broken English.

I frowned. “You know that one!”, I called. He stood up at full height after finishing with his gear. “Then don’t be rude…”, he buzzed.

I pouted. “I’m not rude…”. He tapped the top of my head with one of his talons, though gently. “Sei-i, you are one of the rudest pups I’ve come across”, he started. “You don’t listen either”.

I waved his hand away with my uninjured arm. “I do listen!”, I defended. “And I’m not a pup!”. I frowned up at him.

“Right…”, he clicked. “But you are still not a t’heen-ajer”.

“Whatever”, I sighed, giving up.

He kneeled with his back to me. “Come, pup”.

I huffed with a scowl at him. “Fine…”. I crawled up on his back and gripped his shoulder, careful not to touch his dreads too much. I pressed my legs into his sides, holding onto him tight. Or as tight as I could with my hurting shoulder.

“Ready?”, he clicked to me. I briefly glanced back at the forest, no bear in sight. “ _Always_ ”, I answered with a smile.

Raki sat off, running towards the cave.

“I told you, it’s fine”, I said again. Raki was sitting in front of me. Both of us back at the cave.

“I do not believe you”, he clicked. “Let me see”.

“ _Raki_ ”, I tried to make him back off.

“ _Niitah_ ”, he countered. _Damn him… using my own tactics against me…_

I released my breath. I raised my arm for him. “Fine…”.

“Stop being so stubborn”, he stated. “Says the one who wanted to fight a bear”, I retorted.

He took a hold of my arm while shaking his head. “I would have won, I could have taken a new trophy”, he assured.

He slipped the shirt gently down over the injury. I winced a bit and clenched my teeth with a small hiss.

“Sorry…”, he clicked softly. “Right, because it wouldn’t have mauled you without your armour and knife”, I remarked trying to change subject again.

He snorted, shaking his head in amusement. “I would still have won”, he claimed.

He inhaled suddenly as he investigated my shoulder. “Is it bad?”, I asked him, suddenly a bit worried. It was hurting a lot, but I didn’t want to alert him. Neither was I sure I wanted to look.

“Forgive me, Niitah”, he purred. I dared to look down, my eyes widened. _My shoulder… It was purple._

“I should have held back more”, he confessed.

I tugged myself out of his hold. “Its fine, Raki…”, I said, pulling up my shirt again. “It was an accident”.

He pulled his medical sack over to our position. Rummaging through it until he found what he was looking for.

He pulled out a container of some kind, showing it to me. “This is soothing and healing paste”, he explained. “It should help with pain and speed up the healing”. He held it out for me.

I accepted it from him. “So far it seems my people’s medicine is beneficial to oomans too. It should help”. He nodded.

I nodded in return. Something I’d learned was a sign of respect or genuine caring for another in the culture of his people. “Thank you”, I replied.

I opened the container, peeking into the contents. It smelled strange and looked like some kind of grey cream. _He had said paste, so it would be weird if it was something else…_ I told myself.

“Uhm…”, I uttered. I looked to Raki, who watched me. “Can you help…?”, I asked hesitantly.

He leaned forward, “Sei-i”, he clicked. He gently took the tub when I handed it back to him.

“Pull your shirt down”, he said. I carefully tugged the shirt over my shoulder again.

He dipped 2 of his fingers into the mixture, taking quite a lot of the salve along.

I hissed through my teeth as he softly coated the bruised skin with it. He purred, probably trying to apologize again or just calm me down.

He pulled away after he was finished, closing the container and throwing it into the pack again.

He busied himself with something else, avoiding looking to me.

_He really blames himself for hurting me like this…_

I felt uncomfortable, shifting in place, trying to think of something I could say. I had already said it was okay, I was fine, and it was just a bruise. But it clearly meant something to him.

_Maybe I should just forget about it, brush it off and start some conversation? But we had done that too and it got back it my shoulder still. What could I do to make him know I wasn’t blaming him?_

“S-“, I started but stopped as he suddenly whipped up and stalked out of the cave. “Raki?”, I called. “I will return soon”, came a curt reply.

I blinked once in confusion. _What?_

I pushed myself up. “Where are you going?!”, I called after him. No response. He was already gone.

I must have nodded off at some point after I checked the traps by the entrance over, making sure they worked properly, because I was awoken by Raki’s voice.

“Niitah?”, he called gently.

“Huh?”, I sat up with a jerk. My eyes landed on Raki’s form, kneeling a few feet away from me. His mask was off, and his head lowered, he didn’t look at me instead his eyes were on the ground.

“Raki…”, I breathed. I shifted to sit more comfortably, still looking at the alien. He hadn’t said anything yet.

“Raki… Why did you go?”, I questioned, rubbing my eyes.

His eyes rose to meet mine, the yellow in nearly almost glowing in the darkness of the cave. His mandibles clicking almost nervously but no words coming out.

He reached behind him and pulled a sack into his lap. “I must-“, he started but cut himself off.

I tilted my head, choosing not to say anything.

He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, then opened them again. “I promised to keep you from harm”, he started, I perked up. “I wanted to train you to protect you. But I was the one who hurt you…”.

_He’s apologizing again…_

“You say it’s fine, but I must earn your forgiveness…”, he trailed off. He tightened his hold on the sack.

I stayed quiet, simply hearing him out.

He reached into the sack and pulled out a large thick pelt. With only the slight moonlight present, I saw the colour was unlike anything I’d ever seen, but it reminded me of a tigers pelt. It was a deep burning orange with dark brown markings.

Raki held it out for me. I hesitated.

“Pl-… plea’se take it”, he clicked, struggling with the words. I reached out to touch the strange fur.

It felt so soft. I took it slowly from his hands, inspecting it. It was large but didn’t weight much.

“Raki what-?”, I asked.

“An apology…”, he stated. “Plea’se accept it…”. He looked at me like I imagined myself after doing something wrong standing before my par-

“Thank you”, I said. He seemed to perk up a little after that.

My fingers ran through the soft fur. “What is this?”, I asked curiously.

“It’s called an _Ax-ca’la_ in my tongue”, he started to explain. “It’s native to planet Ob’bora and is a deadly predator. I hunted this one and made it into my trophy to prove I was ready for my Chiva. I planned to give it to my sister… but I want you to have it”.

“Are you sure?”, I asked hesitantly. “I mean… your sis-“.

He nodded and cut me off. “I will find another gift for her”, he clicked. “If I return home, I can try again”.

_If…?_

“Thank you”, I said again. “It’s really nice”.

He seemed to untense after that.

Nrak’ytara´s POV

* * *

I felt better after Nita had accepted my gift of apology. We had talked a few minutes, then she went to bed again. My shame of hurting her had lessened… at least somewhat. Even still… _I could have shattered her entire arm…_

I breathed out heavily, shaking off the cool air as I slipped quietly through the trees, looking out for any dangers.

Nita had told me the temperatures dropped as the spans grew shorter and winter approached. But I hadn’t believed it would be this much. I was thankful for my bodysuit keeping my body heat relatively stable.

The last time I was on patrol I had encountered quite a few Kainde Amedha’s, so I risked going to the mountain this night. I needed to be sure of how or where they got out.

My mind wandered to the battle last time. There had been too many to go unnoticed… I am surprised no oomans had figured it out back then or gotten involved. _But the fact that Elder Nagara and Tbi hadn’t known…_

Something was definitely not right about this... We should have called it in the moment we crashed. _But we didn't..._

_There was no time to dwell on the past... I had to get to the bottom of this!_

It shouldn’t have been Chiva for us… It should have been a Kv’var for Elites.

We- I had been _lucky_ to make it out alive. I am sure that I must still be alive for a reason. Whether that’s to find _them_ , kill the Queen or protect Nita… I will do it, no matter what. _I swear on my bloodline!_

I was nearing the mountain, I had to get ready to defend myself should I be attacked. I wouldn’t enter, but I would do everything in my power to re-seal the entries.

I cloaked myself, checking my arsenal over once again. _As long as I wasn’t overpowered by them, I should be just fine._

I made a spilt decision to climb up the trees for a better view. Jumping from one to another, closer and closer.

A light and voices entered my senses through the dark. _What?_

I turned on my heat-seeking mode as I landed on a tree close to the mountain. _The entry I had pulled myself out of…_ I realized.

Immediately 10 different forms appeared through my visor.

_Oomans… This was bad…_

I stayed my position, keeping quiet and cloaked. Simply observing.

_How hadn’t I noticed this before?!_

They were carrying firearms. 4 vehicles were nearby as well. Large. But one of them stood out, it was larger than the others.

_What are they doing?_

_Could they be searching for Nita? We hadn’t really discussed her going back to her people unless something happened to me. Maybe they were a search party? If so… they were going to die here. They had no idea what was lurking in that mountain._

They kept moving around, _patrolling,_ I recognized, while others just seemed to pace in place.

My eyes narrowed underneath my visor as I realized the entrance was gaping, seemed to have been blown open. _C’jit…_

_These oomans are playing with Cetanu… Stupid!_

“Get ready!”, one suddenly yelled, the others snapped around, tense and at attention.

_What is going on…?_

I tightened my grip on the large branch I was crouched on.

“Now!”, the same voice called loudly. _Did they have a death wish?_

I blinked in surprise as a smaller group of oomans stumbled out of the cave, then a loud boom. Dust flying up and around the area.

Some of the oomans got up from the ground, after the dust cleared. The entrance resealed.

“Mission report?”, the same voice once again. I labelled him as the leader of the group. I kept watching.

“Success…”, someone heaved. “We got a few but…”.

“But what?”, the leader’s voice sounded… harsh…

“We lost a man…”, the response came. A ooman walked up to the newly arrived group, making a hand gesture. “A tragic casualty, but no matter”, the leader stated. I frowned, _what the pauk?_

The new oomans shifted, seeming unsure. The ooman gave out a few orders, but my Bio-mask didn’t pick it all of it up, making it sound distorted.

They began loading small boxes into the large vehicles. Boxes that the group inside the mountain had with them. I frowned, _what-_

My eyes widened as I recognized the symbol on their cloth and machines. It was the same as those I killed all those phases ago. I had found them by the edges of the forest multiple times. But now they were _here._

They were dangerous. They knew something. _Could…? Could they have taken something inside?_

“Wrap it up!”, the leader commanded, his form seemed familiar…

I had to strike now if-

He nodded to the group he was with. They took offensive positions and raised their firearms on the others.

I froze.

“ _What?!_ ”, someone yelled. “This wasn’t a part of the agreement!”. Another. “I have a family, _please-_!”.

Their protests were drowned out by the sounds of bullets. All of them fell to the ground.

I growled lowly but kept myself put. _How dishonourable! Slaughtering their own like that, in cold blood!_

They loaded the bodies into another vehicle. Before 5 minutes passed, they were driving off.

I let myself fall from the tree, landing on the forest ground with a quiet thud, looking after their moving machines.

_What in the name of Paya did I witness?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is probably going to be the last long chapter, at least before the finale ones. I hadn't planned for it to be so long but oh well.
> 
> The Ax-ca'la species and planet Ob'bora is not canon in any way, they are both made up by me.
> 
> Comments and feedback is my life essence!
> 
> Translations:  
> Span(s) = Day(s)  
> Term(s) = Week(s)  
> Terra = Latin name for Earth  
> Sei-i = Yes  
> Era = 100 years  
> Luar-k = Moon  
> Ic'jit = Badblood  
> Chiva = Trial  
> Cycle = Year  
> D'to = Forest/Jungle  
> Ju'dha = Water  
> Phase = Month  
> Mo = No  
> S'yuit-de = Idiot/Pathetic  
> Kainde Amedha = Xenomorph  
> Kv'var = Hunt  
> C'jit = Shit  
> Cetanu = God of Death  
> Pauk = Fuck  
> Paya = God/Goddes


	15. update

Hi Readers!

I have, once again, bad news...

I am going on Hiatus for about 4 weeks because of, well, Covid-19...

My country, Denmark, will shut down 7 regions, one of which I currently live in. However, the region I work in is unaffected so far by this law and won't shut down for now at least. This is to stop a Covid-19 mutation local mink is currently developing... If the mutation is allowed to carry out, the vaccine is going to be useless...

My boss has offered me to stay at a rented room by my workplace for the next 4 weeks, so I can work, which I have agreed to. But I will have to move as soon as possible tomorrow, so I don't have time to bring my computer. Neither will I be able to return home to get it during these next 4 weeks, as the "borders" will be blocked :(

Stay safe everyone! I will see you on the other side in, hopefully, 4 weeks! <3


	16. A Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raki gets a lecture in how nature works and Nita is conflicted about a decision that will change her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> So I'm back sooner than expected because the goverment decided to repeal the placed restrictions before time, which is awesome!   
> I got back home yesterday but today I'm ready with a chapter.

Nita´s POV

* * *

I returned to the cave after getting some water. Luckily, I hadn’t come across any trouble, Raki had allowed me to walk from the cave to the river alone if he was sleeping.

He had returned late this morning after a long patrol and been asleep since. I was curious what he’d been up to but with how he slept, he needed all the minutes his body allowed him. Fortunately, he didn’t look hurt in any way, so I didn’t think he’d been in battle like he had been from time to time.

I’d been surprised when I learned Yautja only needed to sleep maybe once or twice a week, but they could handle going without for about 2. It had been close to 2 weeks since I’d last seen my big friend sleep. Even though he stayed in the cave every other day, he didn’t sleep, instead quietly working on one thing or another.

I put the filled container down at the entrance, making sure I didn’t release any of the traps.

I squinted into the dark, looking for Raki. He was slumped up against the wall in his usual position, breathing heavy. _Still asleep then?_

_Alright…_

I didn’t want to disturb him, so I sneaked out of the cave again.

I walked down to the boulder and sat down, leaning back on it. I brushed my hand over my shoulder, it was already a lot better but still a bit blue and sore.

I should probably get some training done but I just wanted a quiet moment for now. My eyes turned towards the sky.

_I wonder… has that day passed yet? Maybe it’s close or maybe it’s today?_ I had no way of knowing how much time had really passed, I hadn’t really kept track.

_Oh well,_ I thought, _happy birthday…_

I sighed to myself. Not that I really cared about that right now. I- I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do…

Raki wanted to train me so I could protect myself from those monsters. I had even agreed to help him put an end to them even though I wasn’t sure how exactly. _How much help was I really?_ I was a child, _a human kid_. He was a big alien with decades of fighting experience, he’d told me himself. I only had a few months, and despite what Raki wanted me to believe? I could sense in him that he was getting restless, more tense. Time was going to run out and soon…

I had to focus but… could I really be any help? Wouldn’t I just get in the way? And what about after? _If there even was an after?_ What would we do then?

I buried my head in my hands.

_What am I even doing?! I should have taken the first chance to run for help when Raki showed me that tank-station. But I had refused, saying I promised to help him, and now-?_

_I’m just a kid! I shouldn’t be here! I should be with Tate and April! I-_

My body convulsed as I hiccupped quietly.

_We had agreed that I would go to the station if Raki got too hurt to recover or-_

_Should I back out now? Could I even remember the way…?_

_No!_ I yelled inside my mind. _Raki is my friend, I could never abandon him like that... not now. I promised to stay with him, he’s all alone and he needs me. Even if I didn’t stand a chance against those monsters, I could still provide help and distractions._

_I can't leave him!_

I wiped my eyes in the oversized jacket I was wearing. Raki had helped sew in closer for comfort and mobility, but it was still too large.

I got up, deciding to get some exercise done. I took a stance of defence and began to move around in different positions.

I remembered this was the first exercise he had me go through.

_I was standing in front was Raki, still some distance between us. He was sitting on the large rock, still resting after his serious injury._

_“So…”, I started, hesitant, my arms around my body. “What do I do?”._

_“Show… fight”, he clicked. I frowned. “But I can’t fight?”, I responded confused._

_He had said he wanted to train me the night before, so how could I show him something I’d yet to learn?_

_He tilted his head. “Mo-ve”, he hummed deeply. “Know wh’at to… with…”._

_“Ohh”, I exclaimed quietly. I think I understood what he meant. He wanted me to show him what I was capable of how, and then work form there._

_I have never fought in any way before. He was going to be disappointed._

_I raised my arms and spread my feet like I’d seen people do in movies and in school fights. One arm close to my face, the other close to my stomach, me feet spread wide._

_I glanced to him a few times staying in this position, yet no reaction from him._

_Then I gave a weak hesitant punch into the air._

_“Uhm like this?”, I asked afterwards._

_A strange noise came from the big alien, then a series of clicks that sounded something like; Pahiyah and hchahk_

_I shifted back to my regular stance. “Uhm”, I knew he was displeased._

_He rose from his seat, swaying a bit, but managed to walk forward. He gestured to himself. “Lo’ok”, he clicked._

_He moved his body slowly, making sure I was paying attention. He winced a bit when he moved his stomach too much other than that it seemed like he had done this over a 1000 times. The form seemed simple enough._

_“Show…”, he said after finishing. I nodded and tried to repeat his moves, but even I could tell it was clumsy. It was like my body just couldn’t move like that._

_He gave a deep exhale after I finished and grumbled something else._

_“A-ga’in”, he hummed._

Raki had been incredibly disappointed in my skill set back then, it was almost hilarious. But we had quickly gotten a hang of how to progress.

While I couldn’t move like a Yautja, he still trained me like one, and together we came up with how I change the stances and movements to my advantage. I had only gotten stronger and better from there.

He had one time chased me around the mountain and after he caught me, he’d made me swing my arms around with training knives until I thought they were going to fall off. Aaand then about a 100 more times… His excuse? He thought it was funny… He did lay off a bit more after that day, to my prayer.

Just as I finished my session, I sensed I was being watched. On instinct I quickly grabbed the knife from Raki I’d tied to my leg, raising it in defence.

I turned only to find Raki standing a few feet away. He nodded. “Well done, Niitah”, he praised.

I lowered my arm. I nodded in thanks, strapping the knife back in place. I lowered my eyes.

_I’m not sure I can look him in the eyes right now… not after what just went through my mind._

He hadn’t mentioned anything, neither had I. But he had asked if I wanted to gather something to eat along with the meat tonight. It wasn’t necessary for him, but he understood that I both needed and wanted a bit of variety with food. So, we had gone out into the forest together. Through I knew he sensed I was tense.

As I had a mental argument with myself over the mushroom, I was currently looking at was safe to eat or not, Raki approached from behind. “Niitah?”, he clicked.

I turned my head in his direction. “Yeah?”, I responded with a gulp. _I really didn’t want to have a discussion with him about this right now…_

“Why do leaves fall here?”. He was looking up, most likely watching the leaves slowly fell from the trees in the gentle breeze. _Huh… not what I expected…_

I blinked. He raised a hand to catch one, then studying it closely. “It’s dead…”, he sounded both curious and disappointed.

“Well…”, I started. “It’s kind of long and hard to explain…”. I was still looking at him.

He began studying a tree close by. “I wish to know, if you want to tell”, he simply said.

I shifted to sit down comfortably. “Remember I told you about Winter?”, I asked him.

He briefly glanced over to me, then his attention was back on the tree. “Sei-i?”, he replied. “The season with ice covering the earth”.

“Snow”, I corrected. “Anyway… before Winter comes Fall”, I started. “In Fall both nature and animals start to get ready for Winter. Most goes to sleep when Winter comes. But with trees… they shed their leaves to keep their energy in their trunk and then goes to sleep over the Winter”.

“So, they kill their own makings to survive?”, he asked. “How cruel…”.

_Well… that’s one way to look at it…_

“I guess…”, I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. “But it’s all a part of nature’s way. The leaves are made to gather energy, but when the source of that energy becomes less common, like in Winter, that is no longer needed. So, the leaves fall. Even if they do stay on the tree, the cold might destroy them and keep them from giving the energy to the trunk”, I continued, Raki listened closely. “The leaves that fall becomes one with the earth during the winter or food for smaller creatures. In the end the leaf become another kind of energy for their trunks or others. Keeping the whole tree alive even then it sleeps. That’s the cycle of nature, something must die to be remade into something new”.

“That… sounds complicated”, Raki said after a while.

“Yea… it is”, I agreed with a small smile. Raki walked closer to me.

“Feel better?”, he asked, taking me by surprise.

A cold feeling washed over me; my smile froze. “What…?”, I whispered.

“I saw you…”, he confessed. _He saw me… he’d heard me_. “I was curious about the trees, so I asked… and talking about nature always seem to make you happy…”.

“I’m sorry…”, I uttered. He kneeled before me, laying a hand over my shoulders. “Niitah… don’t be sorry… what happened?”.

“I- I’m just so confused…”, I explained. “I don’t know what to do…”.

He leaned back a little but kept his hand on me. “Niitah… I understand…”, he said. _So, he knew what was going on…? Well I guess living together for months like this will do that…_

“Say the word and I will take you back there… myself hurt or not…”, he said.

I gawked at him. _He would do that?_ A sob escaped me. He ran his hand in a circular motion over by back, a comfort from him.

“I don’t want to l- leave you alone…”, I voiced weakly.

“I can take you there tomorrow, Niitah…”, he called softly. “I changed the plan. I won’t put you at risk… you need to be with your people, not fighting for your life against these R’ka. I will come up with a suitable plan alone”.

I turned fast and grabbed his arm as he pulled back in surprise. “No!”, I protested. “I won’t leave you alone! I want to fight with you! I want to put an end to them too! This is my home, not just with my people, but here on Earth!”. Despite him wearing his mask, he looked shocked. “You said yourself if they really get out, they are going to kill thousands of humans and they could take over the planet! I refuse to let that happen if I can help stop it, even if it’s only the thinnest help!”.

He reached up to gently pry my hands off him, he kept a loose hold on my wrists. “Alright…”, he clicked. “Think about it?”.

I nodded. “Okay…”, I agreed with a sigh.

Nrak’ytara´s POV

* * *

I shuddered, shaking my head. “I don’t like it”.

Nita exhaled, tightening the deer pelt around herself. “I know”, she exclaimed. “It’s like the 100th time you’ve said it”. I frowned, offended. _It was not!_

“But it’s part of nature here, Winter comes and goes just like everything else”, she explained.

I pulled the needle through the pelt, securing the last part to the other side, successfully making a jacket like-thing for the pup. “It doesn’t mean I have to like it”, I ended. The temperatures were low, _too low_ for my suit to keep out, it bothered me but only to irritation. I _hated_ it but it was something I could handle.

She let her head fall back, looking up at the sky with an overexaggerated groan. “ _I knooow”_ , she repeated. I huffed in amusement before stepping back. “How’s that?”, I asked. She moved around slightly, testing the covering and her movement. She nodded, “it’s better, thank you”.

I nodded in return, turning to head out to the small clearing. “I thought we should focus more on your spear training today”, I suggested.

She groaned behind me. I smiled underneath my mask. She had gotten better at combat the last few terms. She had even managed to land a hit on me a few occasions, without making the same mistake as the first time. Nita had progressed a lot with the spear, but she still disliked it anyhow.

It reminded me of myself and the rest of the trainees as young bloods. The moment we’d gotten the hang of the basics in combat and training, we just wanted to get it over with. Not seeing sense in working with ourselves to improve our moves.

Her sound of irritation turned into a gasp of surprise. Immediately I spun as I heard the change in her tone. “What’s wrong?!”, I asked. My visor already scanning the area for dangers.

“Look!”, she squeaked pointing over to a visible tree root not too far from us.

I zoomed in on the spot and then exhaled to relax. It was a small creature, just sitting there, starring our way. I believed Nita called them rabbits, but I hadn’t seen a lot of them, they tended to run as soon as anything approached.

I shook my head. “Niita… come here”, I called to her, heading over to our sticks.

“But look at it!”, she called quietly, her focus on the small prey. “It’s cute”.

“It’s not cute, its food”, I answered. She made an offended noise behind me. I turned to regard her. “Focus”.

The pout placed on her face turned into a smile. “Can I pet it?”, she asked, her eyes wide, smile big. Something I’d noticed she had a habit of doing then she wanted something and knew she was gonna get it.

_Not this time pup._

“No, now come”, I stated, leaving no room for argument. And yet, the sneaky little pup did anyway.

“ _Pleeeease?_ ”, she appealed. “Just once?”.

_She really was like a sucker sometimes. Kind of like my few younger siblings._

“Fine…”, I sighed. “One pat”. _Okay… this time too…_

“ _Yesss_ ”, she uttered giving a small, excited jump, then turning to slowly sneak over to the small creature.

I stood back; my arms crossed simply watching her trying to interact with the tiny, terrified animal. _Unbelievable..._

I chuckled as her hand almost reached the poor prey only for it to dart away from her. I could almost feel her disappointment from where I was standing.

“ _Shut up…_ ”, she grumbled, turning back around.

Nita´s POV

* * *

I followed close behind Raki through the forest. I could barely see the outline of his invisible form, but the first light of the sun and the thin layer of early spring frost on the ground shined through him, giving him a ghostly appearance.

The reason for him being invisible was because he thought if we were being watched, it was easier to spot us if he was uncloaked. I could disappear fast, but Raki couldn’t without his cloaking.

I had been awakened by him early before the sun showed. He made something for us to eat quickly, then he led me outside. He had yet to say where we were going, only that I had to follow him.

“Raki?”, I quietly called. A hum gave from where I believed him to be. “Where are we going?”.

“You’ll see soon”, he simply said. “I want to show you something”.

I huffed. _Fine… be like that…_

I continued to follow him, making sure to stay quiet and keep to the trees and shadows of the forest.

After walking a few more minutes Raki halted, I also stopped. “We’re here”, he clicked.

I looked around at the forest, there wasn’t really anything out of the ordinary except large slide marks across the ground some meters from us. They looked like they’d been there awhile.

“Where is here?”, I questioned. “What’s going on?”.

“Patience”, he said before uncloaking. I rolled my eyes with a puff, crossing my arms.

He raised his right hand and started to fidget with the panel on his gauntlet. I watched curiously.

The air in front of us started to shimmer. I gasped in surprise, my eyes wide.

Suddenly a large ship was at the end of the slide mark. “Whoa…”, I exclaimed, letting my arms fall to my sides.

Raki half turned towards me. “It’s time to make a decision, Nita”, he clicked with a serious tone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will she choose, I wonder?
> 
> What Raki says in the flashback is; By Paya´s mercy (h'chak), theres a lot to work with...
> 
> Translations:  
> Paya = God/Goddes   
> H'chak = Mercy


	17. A New Plan

Nita´s POV

* * *

My body froze upon hearing his words.

I gulped while starring at him.

I had already made up my mind. But it felt different now… I really had to be certain about this… my answer was expected… no matter what it was…

_T_ _here is no backing off… no changing my mind after this…_

_It’s time for him to hear my final decision._

I frowned and inhaled deeply, determined.

“I want to help you”, I stated, my voice unwavering,

_I want to do this. I must do this!_

Raki raised his head high, his posture straightened and looking almost proud, yet tense. “Very well”, he simply clicked, something stained in his voice. “Follow me”.

He turned and headed towards the ship. I follow quickly behind him, noticing he fidgeted with his gauntlet again.

This time the entrance to the ship opened. I hesitated for a second, stopping in place. I clenched my teeth, a burning behind my eyes. _I am fine… Raki won’t let anything happen to me. This was just the final step to finishing this…_

_Why did it feel like it was going to end now?_

_I’m not ready…_

I exhaled to calm myself, closing my eyes. Tightening my fists, I started to walk forward again. _I was never going to be ready,_ I told myself, _this is something that must be done… to save people and Earth._

As I entered the ship, Raki closed the door behind us. I glanced to him, waiting for instructions, he calmy released the tube of his mask, taking it off, letting it rest at his hip with a light hold.

“First… weapons for only you”, he clicked. “I promised to help make your own, but time is out… If- _When_ we return… We can work on that”. He gestured for me to walk with him down the hallway. I stepped close and walked beside him, taking in the surroundings. “I will take you to our kehrite, where we keep the weapons”, he explained.

I nodded numbly in reply. Investigating the surroundings, I noticed the hallway was scratched up, holes and neon-green blood remains around, just like the room or hanger we had entered. He had told me little of what had happened here before we met, but now? I could guess it hadn’t been as different than the small cabin where he- _I_ had almost gotten him killed in.

I felt so small compared to him, to this place. _I wonder if that’s how his people see humans? Like tiny insects…?_

Raki told me his clan, his family had raised him to view the humans as an honourable opponent, someone to be proud of taking down if the target was within the acceptable group. But we were still not the preferred prey to them. It was actually even frowned upon in his clan to actively hunt humans, unless it was necessary. _I don’t know how I felt about that…_

However… outside his clan, actively hunting my kind was both considered too weak or very challenging to many hunters, depending on the clans view.

 _Again… not really sure how to go about that_.

I was shaken out of my thoughts as Raki halted. “We’re here”, he stated, I stopped as well. His seriousness set me on edge. I knew this was important yet the change in his personality from yesterday was clear as day. He reached out and placed his large hand on a panel beside the door.

He gestured with his head for me to enter the dark room after the door slid aside. So, I did, him following in right behind me. The light turned on as soon as it registered our presence. 

The room was relatively large compared to the hallway. If this was their training space, I suppose they needed the space to throw each other around.

I wonder if they are out there somewhere…? _Would I ever meet Booyah or Tarrei?_ I kind of hoped so… they sounded kind like Raki. I wanted to meet his brother, Yaying too.

 _I’m not too sure about Nagarah and Tibi, they sounded like they were big and scary…_ Kohadee just sounded like an arsehole… _not gonna lie…_

I turned to the left as I saw Raki move out of the corner of my eye. My eyes widened as I tried to process the wall of weapons. _There are so many… I couldn’t even name the majority of them._ Raki was slowly walking along the wall to the far end, going over every last piece of equipment.

“Woah…”, I uttered astounded by the variety of strange and beautiful weapons. My friend stopped by a large ancient looking spear and glanced back towards me, a fiery determination in his orange eyes. I gulped. “Choose a spear and a pair of knives”, he calmly stated. “Then meet me in the middle of the kehrite”.

 _Get yourself together!_ I schooled my expression, lowering my brows in resolution. I nodded to my mentor.

He stepped out of my line of view, most likely heading to the middle. I took a deep breath, in and out.

Now it was my turn to take all the weapons in, there were so many. _Focus only on the daggers and spears,_ I told myself. I didn’t even know what the small round things and weird looking shapes could do, and it wasn’t the time to find out.

I reached out and touched the spear Raki had been close to earlier. “Follow your instincts, feel the balance in the weight of the blades. Take your time… choose wisely”, Raki voice rang throughout the room. I glanced back to him. He was placed exactly in the middle of the _keh-right_ , he was kneeling, eyes closed like he was meditating. It wasn’t the first time I had seen him do it, but it wasn’t often. He had even asked me to join him once or twice. He usually meditated before he went on long patrols.

I let my attention fall back to the spear… it was beautiful, its colouring close to a faded silver with carvings of various soft shapes. I also recognized a few Yautja words on it, _not that I could read them…_

 _It must have taken days to make..._ I took it in my hand and released in from its place on the wall. I weighted in in my hands, it felt _off_ … like it was too heavy in one end. Lightly pushing a button, I activated the spear to test it out.

**_SLING!_ **

I moved around to get a feel for it. It was definitely not balanced the way I was used to, the bottom end of the spear had no blade, instead just a long hilt. _No, not this one._

I sheathed it again, placing it back on the wall. I moved further down the arsenal.

I found a nice pair of small daggers, a twin pair with soft hilts. Their golden blades sharp on both sides yet they were curved at the end of the blade with an opening in middle of their lengths. One was also longer than the other, just slightly. It felt natural to move around with them.

After looking over multiple spears and another few sets of daggers. A spear placed at the lower right end of the wall caught my attention. It didn’t look like anything special; its colour was like a matted bronze or copper, with black half-finished rings placed around. It didn’t have many carvings but the few it had were small and seemingly placed randomly with no real finish to them. I picked it up, getting a feel for this one. It had some weight to it, but it wasn’t too heavy. It felt pretty good actually.

I tried to activate it like the others, but nothing happened. I checked around it, looking for the release key. There was none, maybe it was just a rod or maybe it was broken?

I gave it a shake in frustration, finally having found something that felt balanced but weren’t working.

I jumped at sound it made as it shot out to full length.

**_SHANG!_ **

“ _Wow…_ ”, I whispered to myself, taking in the spear in its full glory. The length was probably the size of my leg stretched out. Its colour a change between black and copper, mending together at places. The carvings were now connected to each other, most had been hidden from view before. They seemed to hold meaning but I didn’t believe they were of Yautja language. It held 2 black, thin blades at each end.

I gave the spear a spin, going through a few stances with it. It felt really good. Better than good. I gave it another shake and it retreated back to its small size.

I smiled at the weapons I had taken down. I had made my decision. _These were the ones._

I turned to Raki, who hadn’t moved from his position, eyes still closed.

I started to step over towards him. “I have chosen”, I stated proudly.

He held up his hand, palm faced to me. _Stop._

I frowned, confused, but halted at the same moment, following his instructions, I was maybe 7-8 steps away from him.

He rose quietly, opening his eyes and glancing over me. He frowned deeply as his eyes landed on the spear.

“Interesting…”, he mumbled in English, his eyes narrow. I hesitantly look down to the spear in my hand. “Is- is something wrong?”, I asked.

“M-di…”, he replied. “I have just never seen it being chosen by someone other-“. He closed his eyes for a moment. “It belongs to my bloodline but has been placed on this Chiva-ship many cycles ago. None I’ve known have felt that the balance of this combi-stick suited them for almost half an eon…”. His eyes filled with something close to regret and sadness. “The only one to ever wield that with grace was my sister…”.

“Your younger sister…?”, I repeated confused. “Wasn’t she too young to walk…?”, I asked quietly, curiosity filled my voice and mind. _He told me his sister were basically an infant when he last saw her…_

He shook his head, dreadlocks following with the movement. “Mo… My sister Luar-k…”, he clicked hoarsely. “She was my oldest sister”.

_Was?_

I blinked in shock, understanding and regret filling me. “I’m sorry…”, I said, trying to offer the tiniest bit of comfort and apology.

Raki lowered his head, shaking it again. “Thank you… It was a long time ago”, he said honestly. _As much as I wanted to know what happened, to try and comfort him, I knew I shouldn’t pry. This is clearly a sensitive topic for him even if had been years ago._

“You choosing he- that stick wasn’t expected… It-“, he cut himself off, eyes turning hard again. “But a weapon is a weapon, no matter who wields it”, he stated. He gave something resembling a cough. “A good choice. The same with the daggers”.

He turned his back to me and began to shred his armour. I looked away. I knew he didn’t mind since his people has another idea of decency, but he understood that so had humans. He turned his back for my sake.

As we looked away from each other, Raki passed his plan on to me. “We will spar, both with your new weapons and without. We will rest and agree on a plan after this. Tomorrow… we will fight our way into the hive and kill the queen”.

 _He made it sound so easy… but we both knew it wasn’t._ Raki had already tried and failed. I had never faced a shell demon before, not like him. Back then… I had been too weak. But now I was stronger. I knew I was, he did too. _But could I kill one…? Would we survive-?_

I frowned to myself, pushing the thoughts away. I knew he would do everything in his power to keep me alive, even if it meant his death. But I didn’t want him to die…

“We start with no weapons”, my mentor stated, letting my attention return to him. He’d shed everything except his loincloth. His armour and mask neatly placed in a bundle a few feet away. I placed the combi-stick and the daggers out of range and nodded, letting my feet drift apart to a defensive stance. I raised my arms to protect my middle.

“GO!”, he sneered. We ran at each other.

I panted, gripping the combi-stick tightly, sweat rolling down my face. Raki was heaving heavily too, his chest moving in and out.

“ _Gotcha…_ ”, I gasped, the end of the stick was just under Raki´s chin, pointing at his neck. He was leaning his head back, arms down but tense at his sides. He didn’t move from his frozen position.

 _It was over…_ he had given me an opening probably thinking he could get the upper hand, like usual. But I had seen through his plan and I had finally been fast enough to act on it. He had tried to put a hit on me with his blade but had stopped his attack the moment he saw he spear coming for his throat.

His yellow-orange eyes blinked down in shock at me. “Nita…”, he rumbled, out of breath. _I won… I could keep up with him now…_

My arms and legs were shaking, and I let myself relax and fall to my knees, barely leaning on my hands to keep myself up. The spear retreating into itself as I released my hold on it. _We must have sparred for hours…_

Raki let himself relax as well, the moment the blade was away from his throat. “ _Pauk…_ ”, he wheezed, stumbling back a few steps but remained standing.

A few minutes must have passed with us trying to catch our breaths.

Then Raki moved towards me. He had regained his breath, at least somewhat, I was still struggling. “Well done, Nita…”, he clicked. He gently put his hands on my shoulder and helped me upright. I needed his support because I didn’t think I could stay up on my own.

Keeping a hand on me, he reached into a pocket in this cloth with his other hand and pulled something out I couldn’t see since he was hiding it in his palm. With determination in his eyes he stated, “You’re-”.

I didn’t hear the rest as I felt my eyes roll back in my head and my vision went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers. So, I’m not really happy with how this story is going. I feel like the original end I had in mind is miles away from this chapter even though the story is reaching its end. This is only my second fanfiction, but it’s the one I’ve been the most excited about. Real life has stolen all my focus and I’ve been pushing myself to write just to write, then release… and I don’t like what I’ve created. To me, the story just seems messy and all over the place with random ideas put into it. And the plot is not heading the way I intended.  
> I feel like its too late to fix this as it is… so it ends on this cliff hanger.  
> But don’t get me wrong, I still love this story and all the support and comments I’ve gotten, it’s more than I ever expected.  
> I’m not going to give up. I am going to rewrite everything from scratch, and then I will release it when I feel like I’ve created something more enjoyable and something I can be proud of.  
> Stay tuned and thank you all! <3
> 
> Translation?:  
> Booyah = Bhu'ja  
> Tarrei = Tarei'hsan  
> Yaying = Yeyin-sain'ja  
> Nagarah = Nagara  
> Tibi = T'bi  
> Kohadee = Kujhade  
> Keh-right = Kehrite = Dojo  
> M-di = No  
> Chiva = A Hunt  
> Cycles = Year


End file.
